


Three Dalish Walk Into a Conclave

by tatertotarmy



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Multi, a dalish gang joins the inquisition, pairings decided as we go on this voyage, the dalish have to stick together
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-16
Updated: 2015-03-10
Packaged: 2018-03-07 18:41:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 27,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3179030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tatertotarmy/pseuds/tatertotarmy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Clan Lavellan made the decision to send someone to spy on the conclave, they didn't send just one person. To ensure the safety of their First and the future of their clan, two others were sent as well. However, after the cataclysm that tore open the sky and unleashed hell upon Thedas, that didn't go quite as planned. Still, in an Inquisition that is filled to the brim with humans that keep calling their clansman a 'Herald of Andraste', the Dalish have to stick together.</p><p>Discontinued.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Three Dalish and a Conclave

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! The idea for this kind of sprang out during a little exchange with Luna (lunaticlluna on Tumblr they're awesome) involving a gang of Dalish supporting their First / clansman throughout all of the chaos that is Dragon Age: Inquisition! Because our Dalish Inquisitor needs a little support to get through all that's going on. The characters of Valent and Daera are Luna's Inquisitors (I really hope I got their characterizations right!).

Reilya wasn’t sure if she could keep going.

She fought to keep her feet going one after the other, each muscle in her body screaming from pain. Her heartbeat pulsed in her ears, barely concealing the sound of clanking metal behind her. Her messy red hair hung before her eyes, but she wouldn’t dare spend the energy to push them aside. A shaky breath clawed against her throat as she searched for something – anything – to save her. 

“Stop!” a gritty voice called after her, which only pushed her to keep running. She thought that she could have out-run the Templars, but nothing could ever deter them from the chase. She had only wished she'd been more attentive to her surroundings. Maybe they wouldn’t have spotted the sparks crawling out of her skin when she was practicing a spell. Maybe they would have just walked away. But now she was practically in their grasp. The faces of her clan flickered through her head as she felt her legs begin to give.

Suddenly, from behind the trees she spotted a hole carved into the side of a hill. As recognition began to dawn on her green eyes, she forced herself to carry on towards the cave. A ruin she had explored a week ago. A complete labyrinth of elven artifacts and ancient texts. A place she had lost herself in countless times. 

She was plunged into darkness, but didn’t dare to light vielfire. Her memories guided her as she heard commotion and clanks of metal begin to echo off the walls. She ducked into a corner and stuffed herself in a small crawlspace between the wall and a statue. Her legs gave the second she stopped, and soon her body rested against the ice cold stone. Though her lungs burned for air, she restrained herself from breathing too heavily. Reilya trembled nervously as she heard the noise crescendo and decrescendo in her ears. 

How long had she been running at that point? One moon had already risen and fallen since she Templars had spotted her, and it had only been a game a cat and mouse since then. It just seemed like every time she had lost them, they only came back again. She hadn’t slept once in that time, and forced herself to keep running for the sake of her clan. 

“Wait!”

Reilya’s heart stopped at the sudden voice. She curled up even closer into the walls, hoping that the ancients had a way to melt through them. Orange light began to flicker on the wall in front of her. Footsteps and clanking metal filled her ears. Her hands clamped to her ears to stop the pain. Tears began to well up in her eyes. She tried to move her legs, but they couldn’t move anymore. In her head, she began to recite a prayer.

“I see a light. She might have gone through.”

“She could be hiding anywhere. Damn knife ears…crafty ones.”

“Wait! I see her out there!”

“Stop, apostate!”

She only let out her breath when she heard the Templars begin to move away from the area. Her muscles relaxed, not beginning to question what the shemlen had seen outside. Her eyes grew heavy, and everything blended into black as her head rested against the comfort of stone.

 

Valent always wondered why Reilya always seemed to be eager to walk back into the grip of a _shemlen_. 

He swiftly let the arrow fly from the bow, knocking into a rock a ways from where he perched in the trees. Below, he could hear the Templars yell and trample off in that direction, ignorant of what may lie in the trees. He felt a small smile grace his lips as he kept himself from chuckling. It amazed him that they thought that an elf would make that much noise. As the march of boots faded, he gently slid down the tree and made his way to one of the many entrances of the ruin. 

It had been luck that Valent had spotted the chase when he had. He had been perched up in a tree, hunting for at least something to eat. The Keeper wanted to have a feast – for what nobody knew – and he was just trying to scrounge what was still left in the woods from the previous hunt. Still…with all the commotion the Templars caused, there probably wasn’t anything but elfroot left in the area. 

“Reilya…” Valent whispered as he entered the ruin, looking around as his eyes adjusted to the dark, “It’s me. Come on, no hide and seek right now.” When he heard no response, he huffed and leaned against the stone. He had never been in the ruins, but wasn’t exactly eager to go exploring at that moment. He just hoped that she hadn’t wandered into some sort of trap. 

As he let out another sigh, he heard soft breathing enter his ears. He looked around, and then down at the corner of a statue. A snort immediately left him as he saw Reilya curled up on the stone, looking practically dead from exhaustion.

“That’s what happens…” he muttered as he kneeled down, “Hey…there are better places to sleep. I can get a rock for you later.” He gently pushed her shoulder, and only began to push harder and harder when she didn’t respond. It was when her head was knocked back against the stone did he finally realize that she was out for the day. 

“Well…only one thing to do now.”

Twenty minutes later he was making his way back to camp, Reilya draped over his shoulder. He brushed a hand through his blonde hair and sighed as sweat began to mist his tanned skin. Thankfully, Reilya hadn’t wandered all that far from camp that time. That is…unless she had run from an even further distance. Valent didn’t bother to think about how far the nearest human settlement was. It always made him uncomfortable to imagine Reilya so far. 

As he began to see large red caravans appear in the cracks between trees, he smiled, “Hope you wake up soon. Looks like the Keeper’s planning something today.” He began to close the distance, hoping that it wasn’t just another story-telling. They had already covered that from the ruins the previous week. Still…he felt the need to be a little pessimistic.

 

As the First, Daera always tried to be the one to build bridges between conflicts. It was what they would have to do as Keeper, whether it be for a difference between the opinions of two elves or trying to talk to a shemlen about keeping the peace. As they saw Clan Lavellan’s two resident city refugees emerge from the woods, both looking worse for wear, they had the sinking feeling that they would have to play the mediator yet again. 

It started with the whispers. While their clan always accepted the elves who had ran to the Dalish, there had always been some animosity that ran thick in the air. It didn’t help that the two city elves, who both wore the same tree _vallaslin_ upon their foreheads, had also shown prominence in both their work. Valent was undoubtedly the clan’s best hunter while Reilya would have probably become First if she had been a few years older. Daera was always confused at why some of their clansmen would be angry at two wonderful additions to the clan. Thus, when the others watched, they approached with a gentle smile on their face.

“ _Aneth ara_ , Valent. It is good to see that Reilya’s safe. I was afraid that someone had taken her from us,” Daera greeted as they looked over the two of them for injuries. Thankfully, she saw nothing serious, aside from the sleep that had taken the fellow mage.

“Yea. Just found her sleeping in the woods. Fell asleep near those ruins.”

“Really? That far away?” Daera asked as their eyebrows flew up, “No wonder we could not find her here… _ma serannas_.”

“No need to thank me. I have to go put her down, though,” he spoke as he began to walk towards Reilya’s tent.

“Ah! Will she be awake in time for our gathering?” the mage asked, their light orange ponytails whipping around as they went to follow.

“I’m not sure. She seems pretty tired. She studied the ruin with you, right? She should already know what’s going to happen,” Valent commented casually as he walked over to the tent and laid Reilya down on a blanket.

“The Keeper told me that it does not have to do with the ruin,” Daera said, “Well…she said that everyone must be present. It seems very serious…it is not wise to miss it.”

“I know. Wouldn’t miss it,” the sarcasm triggered a smirk upon his lips, and Daera tried not to look downcast.

“But…the clan…and…”

“Hey, I’ll be sure to wake her up, alright? You should get to the clan.”

“Right…the clan,” Daera spoke as they walked away. They wondered just why he said that specifically. The two of them were also members of the clan, no matter what origin they had come from. A sigh escaped their lips before they walked towards the other elves, who were all busy to set up what was to be the most important discussion of their lives.

 

When Reilya woke, she was presented with three questions. The first was why the elves seemed to be in such a hurry. The second: how she had gotten back to the settlement in the first place. The third: why was there a rock on her pillow?

The ginger woke up, a hand rustling through short hair that practically stuck out in all directions. She sat up, but soon regretted it when her muscles screamed back at her. 

“ _Lethallan_ , you are awake.”

Reilya jumped in her skin when Daera suddenly appeared on the outside of her tent, looking in with their trademark smile that smoothed over the most rigid discussions. 

“Yes…how did I…?”

“Valent carried you back here. Oh! But this isn’t the time. We’re to have a meeting in a few moments. Please, won’t you join us?”

“O-Of course,” Reilya responded, the words escaping her mouth a little too quickly for her liking. She was always too quick to accept anything pertaining to the Dalish. After all, it was who she was meant to be. Still, one part of her skill cringed at her new reflex.

Daera simply smiled before they walked away in the same direction as the other elves. Reilya forced herself to stand and hoped that no one would notice her slower movements. Perhaps she could say she got lost in the ruins…or maybe she was practicing lighting and got too invested into training. The way her legs screamed when they moved nearly made her want to keel over.

“Feeling a little better?” a familiar voice spoke. She tried to will a small smile to show as she turned to Valent.

“Yes. Thank you for taking me back to the camp.”

“No problem. You looked like you were in a bind…so…”

“Wait…” Reilya’s voice turned to whisper as her eyes widened, “You…saw? What did you see?”

“What do you think I saw?” Valent teased, a smirk on his face.

“This isn’t the time for that. You haven’t told anyone, right?”

“Of course not,” Valent whispered as the two approached the small gathering, “But…let’s talk afterwards. Apparently this is big.”

As if on cue, the Keeper entered the center of the circle that had formed in the middle of camp, Daera not too far behind. The calm chattering immediately ceased the second they noticed the keeper. Both of the resident city elves sat down at the edge of the circle, looking curiously from afar.

“ _Andaran atish’an, da’len_ ,” the Keeper, an elderly elven woman with long white hair, spoke, “I have gathered you all here today to discuss a matter I have been made aware of.” Reilya immediately became stiff in her seat. Did they know that she had wandered too far to the village? Did they know that she had been chased by Templars for the second time in her life? Were they going to kick her out of the clan? The clan was all she knew, she couldn’t just leave. She felt Valent put a comforting hand on her shoulder, but she barely felt it through her inner turmoil.

“I am sure you are aware of the current conflicts between the humans all across the continent. We have felt the effects of such conflicts, especially in human settlements that fear any danger. I have been told of a conclave to help resolve much of the strife currently holding us. I would not normally wish to put our clansmen in danger, but I believe that these events will change the entirety of our way of life. That is why I request for three of our clansmen journey to this conclave to report back to us,” mumbling began in the crowd. Reilya could hear both opinions of agreement and outrage at having to be involved with the _shem_ in any way.

“Definitely know Daera’s going to be there,” Valent spoke, “Wonder who else.”

“They’ll need protection...you’ll probably be with them,” Reilya commented.

Valent snorted, “Yea. Have to protect the future of our people, after all. Bet you’ll miss the fun, though. Have to keep one mage to make sure we have a First, right?”

Reilya fell silent at his comment. Since she had been brought to the Dalish, leaving the camp for other places seemed very appealing. She wished that she would be able to leave. But if both Daera and Reilya left camp, the clan would only be left with a child who had just acquired the gift.

The Keeper rose a single hand, leading the entire crowd to silence. 

 

Chains shackled her to the ground, the metal pulling at her sagging limbs. Numbness was the only thing that dawned upon her as she began to pull out of the darkness. Her hands turned within their shackles, and at the fringes of her nerves she could feel burning in the left. Green eyes opened hesitantly, barely able to see in the dim lighting around her.

Even after years of living in the woods, Reilya could recognize a jail when she saw it. Two figures stood in front of her, but her eyes couldn’t focus enough to tell just what they were. She could see the shine of silver – guards? 

A dim reflection of green pulsed against their armor, and in an instant Reilya’s arm was filled with lightning.

A cry escaped her dry lips as she convulsed, her left hand twitching erratically in the metal. Everything blurred, and only a stiff, armored hand on her shoulder kept her from fully falling to the floor. She shakily looked down at her hand, completely bathed in green sparks. Eyes widened at the sight, and even when the sparks died down her gaze remained.

“W…What is this…?” she thought as she examined a solid mark burned onto the palm of her hand, “W-What happened…? I was right in the conclave…but…”

“Tell me why we shouldn’t kill you now.”

Reilya stiffened at the voice, and her eyes darted towards the figure that began to walk into her view. 

“The conclave is destroyed. Everyone who attended is dead. Except for you.”

“W-What…?” Reilya stuttered as she looked up to the figure, “W-What do you mean…? What happened…?” Her eyes widened as she thought to Daera and Valent. What had happened to them? Were they dead as well? Where were the bodies? Why couldn’t she remember? Her eyes looked to anyone with the hint of an answer, but all eyes around her were hard, accusing. 

A hand reached out and snapped her marked hand, causing her to bite back a cry, “Explain this.” Almost in cue, her mark began to flicker green and pull fire on her skin. Her eyes went wide as she slowly began to realize just what they were thinking.

“I…can’t…” Reilya answered emptily as she felt a wave of nausea overcome her. Daera was dead. The First was dead. The clan’s best hunter was dead. The only people she ever talked to were dead. Did she do this? Did a demon overcome her thoughts? 

“What do you mean you can’t?”

“I don’t know!” tears began to flow freely down her face, “Are there any other Dalish? Please, I don’t understand – ”

“You’re lying!”

A tight hand wrapped around her throat. All she could see were brown eyes reflecting her own face – scared, alone, helpless to a painful death. After an eternity, another cloaked figure grabbed the attacker – a sharp-featured woman wearing heavy armor. Reilya took in a desperate breath of air, white noise drowning out a hushed conversation between her two jailors. Soon, the two were facing her, and she had to use all of her willpower to not run away from their accusing eyes. 

“Do you remember what happened? How all this began?”

It was the cloaked figure who spoke this time. Though her voice had a hint of gentleness to it, Reilya felt that this woman was more dangerous than the other. She desperately clawed at her memories and fought against the panic welling up in her stomach.

“I…remember running. T-There were spiders right behind me…a-and then a woman…”

“A woman?”

“S-She reached out and…t-then…I-I… _abelas_ …I-I can’t…” Reilya’s voice degenerated to sniffles as she kept on struggling to remember what had happened next. It was like holes were in her memory, like someone had cut them up with a dagger. She heard more voices, and then the armored woman kneeled before her. The red-head initially stared, expecting a dagger to be pinned in her chest for her failure. She couldn’t remember. Her clansmen could be dead because of her. Worst of all, she didn’t even know what had happened. 

“W…What…happened?” she hesitantly asked, afraid to even speak. The woman in front of her looked up, worry clearly washing over her face. The weight of her chains was soon lifted from her hands, but Reilya barely noticed.

“It…will be easier to show you…” the woman spoke as she pulled Reilya up by the arm. The elf had to take a moment to steady, her muscles still convulsing from the previous shock from her mark. 

Reilya followed her outside of the makeshift jail, and she was shocked to see that the light hitting her skin had a green tint. 

The elf looked up, eyes widening at a giant rift in the sky. Green fell to the world like lightning and fireballs. Clouds swirled around it like it was the heart of a storm. 

“We call it ‘The Breach’.”

Reilya only stared as the woman continued. She could feel her heart drop to her stomach, and all nausea that had built up only turned to numbness. It was almost like she was in the Fade, being there but not quite. All she could see was the hole encompassing the sky, hovering over the very spot she, Daera, and Valent were sent. The very spot that was now missing from the horizon.

“Oh Gods…what have I done?”


	2. Three Dalish and an Inquisition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It has been two weeks since Reilya halted The Breach and the Inquisition has been established. While the organization is still being constructed with no formal introductions having been made, Reilya is left to her own thoughts about the other two still missing after the conclave…

Even after two weeks, Reilya still felt as if her life had become some dream in the Fade. Everything had become a whirlwind around her, but she felt like a bystander as she stood still in the center of the chaos. It felt as if she were just a trophy of Thedas' temporary victory while everyone built expectations up on her. Leliana had told her that they would be prepared to begin full introductions by next week at the latest. Many people had poured into the little town, and the only pointed ears she saw were the ones belonging to servants. While everyone worked, she lied in bed at a ridiculous time in the afternoon – not wishing to ever rise again.

She curled up closer in the sheets of the bed – the one unfamiliar thing she had been grateful for – and traced the anchor that was burned into her hand. It was the very thing that kept her bound to this strange group that was gathering to Haven. Some sort of Inquisition. Something she had never heard about. Why would she know about it or about any Chantry customs? She only retained one chant that she had heard a lot in the streets of Denerim as a child, but even that had been fogged by her knowledge of Dalish gods.

The people here called her the Herald of Andraste. It felt wrong to her. She was nothing but someone who could seal the rifts. No…she was a Dalish. She should have been on her way back to the clan. She needed to tell the clan of Daera and Valent. She was the only other mage old enough to take the place as First. If she went back, then she would pick up where Daera left off.

But…why did that thought stir nothing within her? Creators...she had been so curious about the lives of the _shems_ at first. Now she was trapped within their society. Still...the idea of returning to her clan also didn't bring the comfort of home she had expected.

A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts.

“Herald? Are you in?”

Reilya remained silent as she tried to remember the name that accompaned the voice. It didn’t matter. She knew exactly _what_ it was. It was the Templar they had named to be in charge of the soldiers. The two hadn’t been acquainted yet – the red-head had made sure of it. She kept out of sight, behind buildings and trees like she had done in the forest. After everything that had gone on, a Templar’s presence only made her worries grow and planted even more insidious thoughts. What if these humans thought that she couldn't control herself? What if her encounter with Templars a month ago had brought ill-will upon her clan? What if more Templars had come to take the mage child in the clan? She knew that the Templars were not as organized as they were in the past after hearing about the war, but that just made her thoughts all the more grim.

“Herald?”

Reilya sat up in the bed and looked towards the door. She didn’t want to answer the door, whether it was to meet the Templar or something else entirely. But…what if they weren’t so willing to depart? She remembered the Templars, their eyes on her. Determination to not let the apostate get away. The sinking feeling that she would never see her clan again. 

The elf looked at the small window beside her bed and stood to look outside.

She thanked the creators that Valent had taught her how to stay hidden.

 

“Are you sure this is it?” their voice was uncertain as the two looked at the settlement from a distance. Even from a mile away they could see the large Inquisition flags hanging almost as a warning to those outside. Lining the wooden barricade were tents of soldiers, all who were milling about after a full morning of training exercises. 

Valent looked at Daera and smiled, “Don’t worry. I’m pretty sure travelers wouldn’t lie about this. Not like they’d lie to each other.”

Daera brushed a strand of red hair from their face, “But…what if it isn’t her? There were bound to be other clans meeting at the conclave as well. Creators…I should have been there.” She sniffed and took in a deep breath to steady herself.

“Hey, don’t cry now. Reilya was just trying to be careful. To be honest, I should have been the one scouting the temple. Come on…we need to be sure before we go back home,” Valent spoke as Daera began to wipe a tear from their cheek. They gave him a small smile to reassure him, but it quickly dissipated after he looked away. 

Only a few weeks ago, Keeper Deshanna had announced that Daera was the one to watch over the conclave. Reilya and Valent had been assigned as protection just in case the situation turned sour. It was Daera who was supposed to be at the conclave, not Reilya. The younger mage had just wanted to make sure things were safe, especially with Templars around. She had claimed that she knew what to do if the Templars came after her. Daera brushed a hand through a ponytail, wishing they had been more forceful about going on their own. Instead…one of their dear friends was dead. 

Valent still held onto the hope that Reilya was still alive. After the tear in the sky finally stopped growing, the two of them overheard of a Dalish elf that survived the explosion. They heard the same story over and over again as they followed the path back to Haven, where a new group was beginning to form. The Inquisition: a place that held the Herald of Andraste. A supposed Dalish elf.

“So, you want to wait here?”

“No,” Daera’s words came too quickly, too harsh, “I’ll go with you, _lethallin_.”

“Alright,” Valent answered with a shrug as the two began to walk towards the settlement in the cover of trees. The more ground they caught, the louder a certain noise rang in their ears. Small, panicked voices that weren’t present minutes before. Hushed enough to cause notice, but small enough not to push the entire town over the edge.

“I wonder what’s happened…” Daera spoke quietly.

“Could be anything. Not like we’re here to – ”

A sudden blur shot across Daera’s eyes and knocked the blonde hunter to the snow.

“Oh creators, I’m sorry!”

Daera’s eyes widened at the voice. A subdued tone, hushed even more like the quiet of the forest. Light, whimsical and far away. Their eyes fell upon a scruff of red hair that stuck out in all sorts of directions. Pale skin decorated with a green tattoo of their people. Dark circles that weren’t there before. Frame thinner than any Dalish should be.

“Reilya…?”

The strange figure rose and froze when the two locked eyes. Green eyes to green, realization dawning on both of their features. Reilya looked down to Valent, who was smiling at the supposedly dead elf as if nothing had happened.

“Daera…? Valent…?” Reilya spoke slowly as tears began to flow down her face, “I-I…I thought you both were…”

Daera smiled gently at the fellow elf, ignoring the tears from their own eyes as she pulled Reilya into a tight embrace, “It is great to see you well, _lethallan_.”

“What did I say, Daera? Alive and well.”

Then Valent joined the embrace as the other two began to cry.

It felt like forever before Reilya pulled away, wincing slightly when the raw skin of the anchor met Daera’s clothes. Thought emotions still ran high, Daera immediately caught onto the action as their friend began to try and shield the anchor. 

“What is that?”

“I-It’s…well…it’s…”

“That’s the mark, right?" Valent asked, looking at her hand curiously, "Some of the travelers mentioned it.”

Reilya paused, looking at the anchor before slowly turning it back around and nodding. The First’s eyes piqued in interest at the strange marking, which pulsed green under the shadows of the trees. Valent stood back up and looked at it as well, an eyebrow raised at the marking, not knowing whether it was supposed to be a good or bad thing. 

“I don’t know where it came from. Well…I can’t remember…” Reilya tried not to gasp when Daera began to poke at it curiously, “There was a vision at the Breach when I stopped it…but that’s all I know…”

“You stopped the rift?” Daera looked back up in disbelief.

“Y-Yes…I don’t know how. There’s another elf in there that explained it to me…but I haven’t really been able to grasp it. I can just seal rifts in the veil…I think,” Reilya tried to explain.

“That why they’re calling you a Herald?” Valent spoke up, eyeing the youngest of the three warily, “And why you’re in this _shem_ organization?”

“Yes…” Reilya admitted with a sigh, “W-Well...it just kind of began around me. Everything’s just been going so fast after the conclave…”

“It’s alright, _lethallan_ , we’re here now,” Daera looked her over, “Now, have they been treating you well? You don’t look like you’ve been eating. Are they treating you with respect? You’ve told me about the humans from one village, so are they the same? And what about this elf? Is he one of our people? Why does he - ?”

“Daera…I think we should just go one at a time,” Valent spoke as he set a calm hand on the First’s shoulder. 

An embarrassing shade of red crossed their cheeks, “S-Sorry…but are you okay, _lethallan_?”

“Yes…I think so. I just haven’t been feeling hungry…and there’s so many people there I don’t know. I…thought you were dead…” Reilya lowered her eyes and took in a shaky breath. 

“We thought the same of you, _lethallan_. We’re sorry we couldn’t get here sooner…”

 

The three eventually made their way to the gates of Haven after a long while of talking and encouraging Reilya to go back. Her hesitance had been mainly built from the fear of unfamiliarity, and it had to take Valent quite a long time of reassuring her that they were real and wouldn’t be leaving their young mage alone. They spent most of their walk talking about what had happened since the explosion at the conclave. Reilya spoke only of the Inquisition, not eager to tell them of when she first awoke in the cell. Daera and Valent spoke of the moment they watched the temple disintegrate before their eyes and their indecision of what to do afterwards.

Their conversation ceased when they approached a gathering of troops beside the tents, with two familiar figures arguing beside them. Reilya ducked behind Valent when she recognized Leliana as well as the blonde Templar she had spent the afternoon sneaking away from. Valent kept his smile, though she could see his muscles tense at the sight of all of the humans. Daera instead placed a kind smile upon their face, years’ worth of Keeper training coming in with genuine curiosity. 

“I am sure that the Herald is fine, Commander.”

“Then why can’t we find her in Haven? Why hasn’t anyone seen her in days?”

Valent’s eyes narrowed, “You’re causing all this fuss? You’re always trouble no matter you are, aren’t you?” His words were playful, but his face controlled.

“I did sneak out of my lodge when someone knocked on the door…” Reilya quietly admitted.

“Perhaps this is why we heard that commotion earlier,” Daera said.

“Hm…I’m not liking it,” Valent spoke with a smile as he looked back at Reilya.

“Well…if her mark is the key to salvation, then I am sure we would react the same way if she vanished,” Daera reasoned.

“Still don’t like it.”

“Herald!”

Their conversation was interrupted when Leliana spotted Reilya’s messy red hair from behind the blonde elf. The two approached, the spymaster covering ground much more quickly. The Dalish stood their ground, with Daera stepping forward with a bright smile that was more than prepared for negotiations.

“Who are you?” Leliana immediately asked once they were in range, tone more curious than the accusatory tone Reilya had become accustomed to. At the very least, the spymaster did not perceive the elves as threats.

“ _Andaran atish’an_ ,” Daera greeted with a slight bow towards Leliana, “I am Daera, First to Clan Lavellan. With me is Valent, a hunter of Clan Lavellan.”

“I can introduce myself, _lethallan_ ,” Valent lightly pushed Daera’s shoulder teasingly. 

“You are from the same clan as the Herald?” Leliana spoke in surprise, “I was not aware that they had sent people so soon.”

“We were also to attend the conclave,” Daera answered, “However, we were not inside when the breach opened in the sky. We only recently learned that _Reilya_ was alive. We are thankful that you have taken care of her in our absence.” 

“I-I’m sorry that I left so suddenly,” Reilya blurted out as she stepped out from Valent’s shadow, her face fighting to bury down her nervousness, “I wanted to see if…”

“She wasn’t sure if we survived, much like how we were aware of her survival,” Daera spoke up, “We hope this hasn’t inconvenienced you, Inquisition.”

“Not at all,” the Templar spoke, “It was simply a sudden departure. We weren’t sure whether it was the work of an enemy or not.” Reilya looked up in surprise, expecting that sort of answer out of Leliana. She had been expecting a word on the danger her magic could be along with the mark. 

“Sorry…” Reilya didn’t exactly want to divulge her true reason for leaving, so just left her words at that. 

“It is alright,” Leliana spoke, “However, we do have some pressing matters. We are now confident that we will be able to make our first move as an organization. Please, meet us in the War Room as soon as you are able. I am sure Josephine has been waiting for quite some time…” The cloaked redhead walked away towards the gate, followed soon by a more cautious Templar. Reilya sighed in relief, but still felt a little anxious at the responsibility on her shoulders again. The responsibility of an organization built all around her. Nothing she wanted. Or did she want it? All she ever wished for was a calm meadow. Quiet. A place where she could be free.

“Well, let’s get settled then, Valent.”

Daera’s words pulled her from her stress, “What?”

“You don’t actually expect us to go back to the clan, do you?” Valent tussled her hair and began to walk towards Haven.

“Don’t worry, _lethallan_ , we will stay with you for as long as this takes. We would not leave one of our own alone in this situation,” Daera spoke as they followed Valent, “I will write to the clan. I am sure the Keeper will understand our absence. Plus, this counts as observations, right?”

Reilya smiled as she began to follow the other two Dalish into Haven. Perhaps the presence of two friends would make this situation much more easier.


	3. Three Dalish and Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reilya has taken up the mantle as Herald. As she journeys from the Hinderlands, Val Royeaux, and the Storm Coast, she begins to collect a number of interesting companions in Haven. After The Iron Bull and his Chargers are brought to Haven, the three Dalish mingle throughout Haven.

“Quite a collection we’ve got going on…”

Valent’s comment was drowned out in the chaos that was barely contained in the small tavern. He could see the quirky blonde Elf re-counting how she stole too many breeches – for the second time that day – to a bull-horned Qunari that had arrived hours ago. In the corner, the Templar, the Soldier, and the Warden talked calmly despite the madness. The Dwarf had captured the attention of half of the tavern with another tall tale – something Valent couldn’t figure out was fact or fiction. Valent found himself watching as everything unfolded, trying to figure out just who these people were. 

There were some missing, of course. The Mage was probably too stuffy for the ruckus – definitely a noble. The resident Bald Elf was probably lurking somewhere else in Haven, with Daera not too far behind to try and ask all the questions she had pocketed during his departure. The Noble and the Spy were both probably in the church, too busy to even think of getting dinner. Reilya had long since retired to her little house, drained after returning from the Storm Coast. 

Things had picked up quickly after Reilya finally stepped into her position as Herald. It seemed that right after she returned to Haven, she was departing the next moment to answer another call. Every time, she returned more drained than the next. Valent had joined her when she first left for the Hinderlands, mainly to make sure that the people escorting her were trustworthy, but afterwards she typically left with three other companions and a sea of guards provided by the Templar.

Daera tried to find the positive in the situation in their conversations outside Haven. Their more reserved clansman would get the exposure she needed. At the very least, Valent thought that Reilya coming back more exhausted meant less instances of her running off into a legion of Templars. At least the Templars here could be watched, and the head Templar looked like he could keep them in line. Not like the Templars lurking around other villages. Or even in random patches of land, as Valent had found in the Hinderlands.

“Hey, elfy! Why you are sneakin’ about? Kinda weird, yea?”

Valent’s eyes flickered to the quirky elf, whose attention had suddenly turned to him. She was standing atop one of the tables, probably to meet the Qunari at eye level. Either that or to just seem important. A smile graced his lips as he took a step forward.

“Your story was just so entertaining. Didn’t want to interrupt,” he spoke with a smile.

“Right. You weren’t even payin’ attention. How ‘bout you just stop that?”

“Stop what?”

“That! Who brought you along?”

“My _lethallan_ , Reilya.”

She groaned in disgust, “Now you’re speaking all elfy! Why do they all sound too elfy?” She dropped off the table and walked over to another corner of the tavern, probably to steal some of the Dwarf’s crowd. Valent smirked at the discovery. So she didn’t like it when elves spoke Elven? His clansmen were in for a surprise. That'd be fun to watch later.

“Hey there. Don’t believe we’ve met yet.”

Valent looked back to spot the Qunari now turned his way, waving a tall glass of _something_. The blonde smiled and made his way to the table.

“Don’t think I have. Think I’d remember someone with horns,” Valent greeted with a small chuckle as he sat down across from the Qunari.

“You’re from the same clan as the boss, then?”

“Was it the ears?”

“Nah. You just have that same look about you. Same with the other elf. Not Sera, of course. Or Solas. The other red-head,” the Qunari took a swig from his cup, “Anyway. I’m The Iron Bull. You’ve been probably been seeing my chargers around camp. Looks like you’ve been keeping an eye out.” So the Qunari was an observant one. It was definitely an interesting thing to know. So far, he didn’t seem all that dangerous. Aside from all of the muscles and horns, of course. 

“Guess you’ve caught me,” Valent admitted with a sheepish grin, “The name’s Valent. I’m not usually like this. Just need to make sure that Reilya’s bringing in the right people.”

“Right. Don’t blame you. Must be different with all these people around.”

“Definitely,” Valent spoke as he took another glance around the room. After years of living only amongst the Dalish, being around anyone taller or smaller stirred up some hesitance in him. The years spend in an alienage just made him even more agitated than usual. He could tell that some of the humans gathered were good people, but nothing helped whenever a _shemlen_ noble walked in the door. If there were any definition to what elves hated in humans, it had to be human nobles.

“Valent,” the elf turned his head to see the Soldier walking towards him, with the Templar not too far behind, “Have you seen the Herald around?”

“Only other elf here is Sera, Cassandra,” Valent deflected with a smirk. 

“I meant since she came back,” Cassandra spoke flatly, irritation twitching at her features.

“Come now, Seeker,” the Dwarf spoke up, appearing from between a large crowd overtaken by Sera’s antics, “Do you really need to question Gingerbread after a long day?”

“I just need to ask her about the coast. Nothing more, Varric.”

“We only need to know about the Wardens,” the Templar spoke up, “Blackwall didn’t know where they could have gone. So I was hoping that the letters she – ”

“Curly, only you would go to a tavern on business,” Varric sighed, “Anyway, I hardly think that you’d make anything better. I’m pretty sure a former Templar trying to question a mage would not be the best thing right now.”

“Varric, I’m not with the Templars anymore. I’ve been clear with that whenever I’ve spoken to Lavellan.”

“I don’t think you’ve spoken to me at all,” Valent spoke pointedly, keeping an irritated smirk on his face before pointing at himself, “Me. Also from Clan Lavellan. Remember?”

“Ah,” the Templar spoke, his face going slightly red from the slipup, “I apologize. I had forgotten.”

“No worries,” Valent spoke, forcing his grin back into place, “But if you’re going to look for Reilya, then she’s already asleep. You know, travelling makes people tired. You should try it sometime.”

Cassandra sighed, “I…suppose this can wait until tomorrow.”

“See, Seeker? That wasn’t so hard.”

“Shut it, Varric,” she grunted before making her way out of the Tavern. The Templar looked at them all and simply gave an awkward nod before following her out. Sometimes, Valent thought that all Cassandra and Cullen did was work. Full days of them training or working with the guards, with only breaks for eating, resting, and consulting at the back of the Chantry. Apparently, Valent had assumed correctly. How they could go on like that, he would never know.

“So, Charming, how are you holding up? Bet being around humans all day is weird,” Varric spoke up, fully joining the little group that had formed at the table.

“It is, but I think I can manage,” Valent spoke with a smile.

“You guys want a round of drinks?” Iron Bull spoke up, finally joining back in after observing the whole exchange, “Think that’s the best way to settle in a new job.”

“Sounds perfect! Hey Hero,” Varric turned and called out to Blackwall, who had just been on his way out, “You want to join us for drinks?”

“I don’t see why not,” he replied after some hesitation.

Iron Bull looked at the lone elf of the group, “You in?”

A smirk danced on Valent’s lips, “Definitely.”

 

Daera stomped through Haven in an attempt to keep their irritation from overcoming them. The evening sun stung their eyes and made them wish it was already nightfall. Everyone tey passed seemed surprised that such a helpful, kind elf now carried the air of anger. They tried smiling to the passersby once they became aware of it, but it still fell flat on other people’s eyes.

Nothing had gone right after finally talking to Solas. The second they brought up the Dalish, he began to accuse them of trying to force their ideals on him. They tried to calm it, claiming that it was just curiosity. However, just saying that they were proudly Dalish sent him on a rant. Even after trying to shift the discussion to City Elves he still persisted with the negativity of the rest of his people. All Daera wanted to do was ask questions. Discover more about the past that Solas might have had insight on. Now, all they wanted to do was scream.

“Woah there, Sunflower. Something the matter?”

Daera jumped when they heard Varric’s voice. They had wandered near the tavern, but didn't expect anyone to actually come out of the commotion that clammered inside. They forced a smile, trying to bury down the irritation. No use in being angry at someone who didn’t deserve it. Nobody deserved the mood they had been radiating.

“ _Aneth ara_ , Varric,” Daera greeted as they walked over to the dwarf, who was sitting on a barrel by the door, “What are you going out here?”

“Ah, just needed a break. Looks like the Chargers will keep us entertained. What about you? Kind of strange to see you just walking,” Varric replied with a light chuckle.

“Really? I’m sure Reilya does the same.”

“Gingerbread sneaks more than walks. Less than before, but avoiding people isn’t exactly a walk,” Varric sighed before turning his attention back to Daera, “You? You’re busy. Always have a purpose of why you’re around. Though if you’re taking a break, I won’t stop you.”

“I’m not busy. There’s just so much to do and learn here…”

“Keep talking like that and you’ll turn into Ruffles. Always up to her nose in work and nobles. Anyway, want to come in? Pretty sure Charming will be on the floor with the rate he’s drinking.”

Daera couldn’t help but laugh, not quite expecting Valent to be in on festivities so soon, “No thank you. But thank you for your concern, Varric.”

“Alright, take care, Sunflower.”

Daera watched as Varric walked back into the bar. He was a kind person, just like countless others who had assembled into the Inquisition. How Reilya got the nerve to recruit so many people was a mystery to them, but at least their _lethallan_ was starting to find her tempo in this strange time. They turned back towards the Chantry and found themself walking towards it. 

The sun had now dipped below the horizon, casting shadows all around the small village. They could see people begin to shuffle back indoors or towards the tavern to join the festivities. Their smile came easier now, seeming calmed down after the brief talk to Varric. They passed by Cassandra and Cullen, who were both enraptured in an important discussion. Both took no notice as they opened the doors to the Chantry, the scent of candles overflowing their nose. Vivienne seemed to have retired for the night, her usual spot abandoned. Daera supposed they would have to ask her questions later. 

Instead, they wandered into the back of the Chantry, to the door near where Reilya assembled her advisors. They waited only second after a polite knock at the door before Josephine called out that they could come in. Varric’s little comment had brought Daera there, thinking that they might be able to help and keep their mind from the irritation.

“Hello,” Daera greeted as they walked into Josephine’s office. To their surprise, Josephine was still scrawling something down with piles of paperwork sitting on both sides of the desk. When she finished writing, she put it to her right. Evidentially, the ‘finished’ pile was only a fraction of the ‘unfinished’ side.

“Ah, Daera Lavellan!” Josephine spoke with a bright smile, “What do you need? Have the people of Haven been treating you well?”

“Of course,” Daera smiled, “I was actually wondering if you needed any help. I heard that you work a lot.”

Josephine stared in surprise. Daera shifted a little, keeping the smile on their face. Was it so surprising for someone to offer help? 

“S-Sorry…” Josephine caught herself, looking down with an embarrassed red streaking across her face, “I simply wasn’t expecting that. If you are really willing, then I would be happy to accept your help. Only if you truly want to, of course.”

“Of course I do! Please, let me help!” Daera spoke eagerly.

“Could you please deliver these to the Herald…? And these to the Commander…? Oh! I think I have some others for Leliana…” Josephine explained, sorting out different piles from the paper mound as she spoke. Daera picked up the different papers, all from different parchments and different hands. It seemed like the most damaged ones were for Cullen, the smallest for Leliana, and the most formal for Reilya. They sighed, wondering how Reilya would react to so many letters.

“Is this all?” Daera asked when Josephine still rummaged through the papers.

“Wait, there’s a letter that specifically concerns you. Well, all of the Lavellans present. Would you please discuss it with them?” Josephine spoke before holding out a piece of neatly-folded brown parchment. Daera looked at the letter curiously before smiling dutifully.

“Of course. I’ll get these sent out,” Daera spoke as they walked back out of the office, papers all sorted in her hands by person, the letter for the Lavellans safely in her pocket.

“Thank you so much, Mistress Lavellan. This is a very kind thing for you to do,” Josephine called out after them.

“You’re welcome, Josephine!” Daera cheerfully responded as they walked out into the main hall. They would look at the letter personally after delivering the letters. It was probably a response to the letter they had sent to her clan shortly after arriving in Haven. Daera hoped that they were doing okay, but would restrain themself until Josephine’s task was done.

 

Her eyes flickered to the sky outside her window. By the way the moon hung in the top of the sky, she could only assume that she had woken in the dead of night. Though she felt some aches left in her muscles from walking most of the way back – the horses they tried to provide scared her – she could feel that all of her fatigue was done. Unfortunately, it was gone along with any lethargy, and Reilya realized that she was now wide awake when everyone else was asleep.

She sighed as she sat up, cursing the fact that she had slept so early in the afternoon. After weeks of conversation and travel, she had all but used up her social capacity. Every day on the road was a struggle to keep herself from completely shutting out from conversation and keeping herself composed. Reilya had nearly run off at the sight of a Qunari. She never realized that people could come that huge! 

Still, not everything had been bad. Vivienne’s home looked so majestic and regal. The people in Redcliffe were so interesting. She had seen elves that just lived within the city. She had wished to run off to see where the Alienage of Val Royeaux was, though couldn’t during the circumstances. Even with the chaos, observing all of the differences the human world answered her curiosity she held for so long as one of the only City Elves in the Dalish. Though she knew Valent would probably berate her for such thoughts. 

She stood from the bed and saw an assortment of papers that had been slid in under the doorway. Reilya picked them up, but only looked at them for a second before putting them on a table. She didn’t want to think of reading letters at the moment. Instead, Reilya opened the door.

Haven was completely quiet. It was a welcome change from the usual chaos that held the village. Always soldiers doing rounds in front of the gates, Leliana’s messengers running through the roads, and something that seemed to need her attention. There was no such thing as calm for her. Being the only one awake at night made her feel like she could breathe again. 

After going inside to put a blanket over her shoulders, Reilya shut the door to her little house and began to walk around Haven. For some reason, some villagers were passed out near the entrance to the tavern. She avoided them as she made her way to the gates. There were some guards keeping watch, but it took little effort to keep out of their sights. She didn’t need another panic of people thinking she had tried to skip camp again.

“Hey boss.”

Reilya jumped out of her skin when the voice caught her only two steps out of Haven. She whipped her head around to see The Iron Bull sitting idly by the new encampment for the Chargers. 

“H-Hello!” Reilya exclaimed in surprise, “How have you settled in, Bull?”

“It’s pretty good. People around here know how to throw a party. Would have been nice to see you around, boss.”

“Sorry, it was a tiring journey.”

“You out for a stroll?”

“Yes…please don’t tell anyone,” Reilya added quietly, not wishing to cause any more chaos over her. Then again, would that be even possible?

“Why not?”

“Last time I left camp by myself…some people started to think I had just left.”

“Can’t blame them for that, boss. I haven’t been seeing anything dangerous, so you should be good around here.”

“Oh…thank you, Bull.”

“You should join in next time. Get to know the troops.”

“I might…t-thank you though…”

“See you, boss,” Iron Bull spoke with a wave. Reilya tried not to look jumpy when she realized just how big his hand was. Creators...why did Qunari have to be nearly double her height? She had enough trouble with _animals_ that large, let alone people. She swallowed her fears and waved back before she started walking to the lake. A gathering did sound nice. There had been plenty of celebrations in the Dalish. She remembered Daera putting flowers in her hair despite her reluctance. She remembered sitting next to Valent as he cracked jokes at anything that moved. She remembered dancing and trying to forget the ways the others looked at her and whispered ‘flat ear’. She remembered fleeing to the woods and pulling flowers from her hair, wishing to be alone rather than have eyes all over her.

In that instant, she hoped that another celebration would not come to pass.

Reilya walked around the lake, watching as the moon shimmered over the ice. Sometimes she wanted to see if she could actually stand on it, but with bare feet she figured it would be a bad idea. 

Once she was under the cover of trees, she saw a shadow pass over the moon. Her eyes darted up, knowing that there hadn’t been clouds in the sky before, only to halt at the familiar figure that stood on the tall pier.

The Templar – whom she now knew was Cullen – stood at the edge of the pier, gazing down at the reflection of the moon. Reilya froze, not knowing whether he had seen her walking along the edge before. However, she soon noticed that there was something else on his mind than hunting a mage. She could see sweat on his brow, as if he had been just been practicing his sword. Only…there was no sword on him at all. She tilted her head, wondering if he had been out for a run? But why would he run with armor on his body?

When Reilya tried to lean closer to discover just what the Templar had been doing, she ended up leaning in too far. Before she could stop it, she crashed down to the ice and a resounding crack filled the air.

“Herald?” she heard a voice call out as she realized that the ice under her was beginning to sink. It was when her head touched freezing cold water did she finally remember to start moving. She began to hear boots as she scurried off the ice. Reilya ran off behind a tree, using her blanket to wipe off the frigid water from her face. 

“Herald?” the Templar called again, and she pressed her back into the tree, “Maker’s breath…” She listened carefully, remembering the stomping of boots only weeks before the conclave. The relentless pursuit of Templars for a young mage.

Instead of boots, Reilya heard unbuckling.

The ginger elf curiously looked around the tree. The Templar was frantically unclasping his armor, eyes on the hole in the ice with curses spewing from his lips. Boots were off, cloak was off, and he struggled desperately with his chestplate.

Reilya watched with wide eyes before turning to nervously peek out from the cover of trees, “C-Commander…I’m right here.”

Cullen froze, hands lowering from his buckles. His head snapped towards her, making it hard for her not to flinch. He took a sigh of relief as he walked over towards the tree. Reilya immediately hid back behind the tree, a reflex she didn’t know whether to trust anymore. Templar had been the first word that had come to mind since seeing the Commander. It was the stench of lyrium that always clued her in. Lyrium burning her thoughts as Templars marched by on the hunt for apostates. The need to hunt down the curious Dalish that had wandered too far from the clan.

“Sorry…I shouldn’t have hid…” Reilya apologized. 

“I’m just glad you aren’t under the water…” she heard him speak, “What are you doing out here?”

“I just woke up,” she admitted with a sigh, “It was so calm out…I just wanted to take a walk…”

“Things aren’t entirely safe out here, Herald.”

“No…things are peaceful right now. It’s almost like home. I was just…well…I saw you…and…” Reilya shut herself up before she rambled on again. It was odd to say that she had been watching someone. It was almost like saying she was stalking a deer on a hunt.

“You were…watching me…”

“I was wondering what you were doing,” Reilya admitted, “Were you out for a run?”

“Why?”

“You were sweating. I didn’t see your sword…so…”

She heard a chuckle, “I wasn’t exactly running. I…couldn’t sleep.”

“Oh…” Reilya spoke, not knowing if it was appropriate for her to ask more. She looked up through the trees towards the rift in the sky. It had honestly kept her awake for the first few nights after she came to Haven. Perhaps that kept him up along with other villagers.

“We should head back to Haven. W-Will you come with me?”

Reilya fell silent for a while before peeking out at Cullen and meeting him in the eye. He seemed genuine, some sort of concern leftover from the ice incident. She looked down to his boots and cloak, both abandoned at the side of the lake. She slowly began to nod as she stepped out from behind the tree, carefully wrapped in her blanket. Cullen smiled gently before going to collect his clothes, and Reilya watched carefully.

Perhaps he was a good man after all.


	4. Three Dalish and Redcliffe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reilya decides the Inquisition will side with the mages.

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

Reilya restrained herself from saying no. Her eyes were glued between the two fortresses marked on the map. She appreciated that her advisors would leave this decision up to her – especially when the Magister had asked for her specifically – but she couldn’t tell if this would truly be a good idea. Either walk into a castle as bait or walk into a den of rogue Templars. Stuck between an obvious trap or trying to recruit those who were trained to hunt and kill people like her. Either way, there was a chance she and those accompanying her would be killed.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her insides began to squeeze from the pressure. Jumbled emotions filled her stomach, as someone would feel before jumping off a ledge. Her eyes opened. Shifted her gaze to Cullen, who still held belief that the Templars she saw at Val Royeaux could be reasoned with. Slowly, she looked at the other four standing at the table and began to nod. 

She was to be bait at Redcliffe.

“I’ll prepare my scouts. We will be ready by sunrise,” Leliana confirmed before moving out of the room, a little too quickly for Reilya’s taste. 

“I suppose I can find a small escort of guards to take you,” Cullen offered.

“Wait, Commander,” Josephine spoke up just as Cullen began to move, “Seeing that this is a personal invitation, I do not believe sending any soldiers will be wise. Any soldiers could incite the same incident that an army could. I would prefer the Herald only bring a few close allies at most.”

“You realize what you’re saying, right?”

“Don’t worry, I have some people in mind…” Reilya interjected quietly, “With Leliana’s scouts, I’m sure it will be okay.” She didn’t know if it would be okay. What if, even with Dorian’s help, it ended up going haywire? She needed to keep the panic down. If she had picked the Templars, she would be thinking the same things.

“I will send a letter to Redcliffe announcing your arrival. I will be in my office if you need me, Herald. Please excuse me,” Josephine spoke with a curtsy before walking out of the room. Reilya sighed, turning towards the Seeker who was picking up some letters left on the table.

“Cassandra…would you want to come along?” Reilya asked hesitantly.

Cassandra seemed pleased to have been asked, “Of course. I’ll be ready to leave once we are prepared.” 

A sigh escaped Cullen, “I suppose I’ll send additional troops to our camps in the Hinderlands.”

The three of them filed out of the War Room. Reilya kept her eyes planted on the carpet, wondering whether she had made the right choice. She knew that both of her clansmen would agree with siding with the mages, but not so much with sending her into a trap. Was it truly better to walk into a trap than into Templars? Why did it always fall on her to make these decisions, anyway? Even before this...it had always been her to break arguments and choose what to do. She was only an elf. Not the First. Not a Hunter. Only a mage elf standing next to four others that should have garnered more respect than she ever could.

“Remember, if you change your mind, I’m sure that Leliana and Josephine will understand,” Cullen suggested under his breath as the two exited the Chantry. Reilya stopped, eyes fixated at the snow on the ground and the pair of boots that soon stopped in front of her. Cassandra kept walking, exchanging a challenging look to the Commander. She wouldn’t want the Commander to send the Herald back into indecision. 

She took in a deep breath, “I will be fine, Commander. I…am need here, after all. Cassandra won’t let the mark be lost.” She recounted the words he had spoken during the argument. If she were to die, they would lose the mark to close the rifts.

“It’s not that - …” Cullen stopped himself and scratched the back of his neck, “It’s not that we only care for the mark. You are also a trusted ally we would not want killed senselessly.”

She fell silent, looking to the side as she felt how wrong those words were. The others had probably noticed how she could barely keep herself together. Whenever she wasn’t doing something for the Inquisition, she was either with her clansmen, in the woods, or in her little house. Varric and Iron Bull had been making efforts to coax her into the Tavern, but it hardly worked.

“A-Anyway…how is your head?” Cullen asked, probably sensing the negativity.

Reilya pressed a finger to her forehead and flinched at the small burning sensation that came with it. The day after the elf tripped on the ice, a black bruise had formed on the left side of her forehead. Almost everyone in her inner circle had noticed it, save for Solas who was probably too polite to point it out. Daera and Valent had particularly fussed over it, with the former attempting to make it better and the latter trying to figure out who had done such a thing to her. She thanked the creators that it had healed to an unnoticeable shade of yellow. She was getting a little tired of saying that no, she hadn’t gotten into a fight. She just tripped into the corner of her table. Nothing exciting, nobody was mistreating her. 

“It feels better…” Reilya replied as she tried to brush some hair over it, “Have you been sleeping okay since then? The breach won’t be closed for a while…so…”

“What?”

“The Breach…?” Reilya asked innocently as she finally looked over towards Cullen, “Isn’t that why you aren’t…?” She felt an embarrassed flush cross her face, cursing herself for making such assumptions. He looked at her blankly before realization flashed across his features. 

He chuckled, “No, it isn’t.”

“Oh…” Reilya groaned quietly as she pulled at the green scarf around her neck, “A lot of people say it’s why they can’t sleep…so…”

“Unfortunately, it’s just the stress that comes with it,” Cullen muttered under his breath.

“Reilya!” the ginger jumped as she looked around for the source. Suddenly, there was an arm lightly draped over her shoulders, and she whipped her head around to see Valent grinning.

“Valent! What’s going on?” Reilya asked, her eyes flickering back to Cullen in confusion.

“Just happened to hear that you’re leaving soon,” Valent answered with a casual grin.

“It was Cassandra, wasn’t it?” Cullen asked with a knowing smirk.

“Might have been her,” Valent shot back before looking at Reilya, “Anyway, there’s a little gathering going on right now. Let’s go!”

“W-Wait…Valent!” Reilya called out as he practically drove her away in the direction of the tavern, leaving Cullen to watch with an amused smile. 

“Come on. You’ve been keeping to yourself for too long. These guys you’ve picked up aren’t that bad,” the blonde explained.

“But…”

“Relax. Daera’s been worried, too. You need to make some friends. At least spend dinner with us,” Valent stopped and lifted his arm as the two arrived at the entrance to the tavern. Reilya stopped, hearing noises on the inside of the building growing the closer it got to dinnertime. Her eyes glanced back at the hunter, who gave her an encouraging look. She took in a deep breath and sighed, wondering if two decisions in a day were too much for her.

“Well, here’s something I didn’t expect to see,” she heard footsteps and turned to see Varric walking towards them, “Joining the Inquisition for dinner, Gingerbread?”

Reilya looked down, red crossing her cheeks, “I guess I am…”

“Really?” Reilya jumped when she felt two arms wrap around her, “That’s wonderful, _lethallan_! Come, we’ll sit together!” She could hear Varric chuckle as Daera began to lead her towards the door.

As the door opened, Reilya could smell fresh bread and potatoes overwhelm her. Soldiers were already pouring into the tavern, some simply picking up some food and returning to their camp outside Haven. She could see Bull’s Chargers situated in their own little corner of the room. Sera sat nearby, giving quizzical looks to the bard, who was singing some sort of song about her if Reilya heard correctly.

“I don’t get it!” Sera cried out when the group walked to the table next to her, “She’s all writing about me, but she doesn’t even look this way! It’s really weird!” Reilya sat down, looking at the quirky elf with some amusement as Daera and Valent took the seats next to her. Varric took a seat at the side of the table and chuckled.

“Buttercup, I think there are worse things than that to worry about,” Varric spoke. Sera turned and looked surprised at the four that had materialized next to her.

“What’s with the elves and sneakin’ around?” Sera muttered before her eyes fell on Reilya, “Oh! Hey you! Haven’t seen you since I sold the breeches. Get new merchants. They didn’t sell for much.”

“I don’t think that used breeches would have sold for much anywhere,” Reilya answered hesitantly.

“We have an army, right? Some of them could use more breeches,” Sera defended before plopping down in the seat next to Varric, “Did somethin’ explode? There a reason you’re all stumblin’ ‘round?”

“N-Not really…” Reilya responded as she felt heat crawl up her face again.

“You know, Buttercup, I’m pretty sure point it out isn’t going to help,” Varric said as he waved for someone to come over. 

“Just a question, dwarfy,” Sera snapped back.

“Well this is a surprise,” Reilya turned her head to see Blackwall walking towards the group, “Good to see you here, Herald. Anything interesting happening?”

“Well…we’re heading for Redcliffe tomorrow. I guess that counts,” Reilya answered sheepishly.

“Redcliffe?” Blackwall repeated as he walked to the other side of the table to sit on the other side of Varric.

“So we’re after the mages, then?”

Reilya yelped at the sudden voice behind her. She looked wide eyed at the Iron Bull, who let out a deep laugh at her fright.

“Sorry to surprise you, boss. Couldn’t really help it,” Iron Bull spoke, a grin on his lips. 

“Come on, Bull. I just got her here. Don’t scare her away,” Valent spoke with a light laugh before rustling Reilya’s hair. She reddened and pushed his hand away before she began an attempt to fix it.

“I’ll keep that in mind. Anyway, are the Chargers in for Redcliffe?” Iron Bull asked.

“Sorry…but I can only bring a few people…” Reilya admitted, trying not to focus on how big Bull was and how one little smack could break her neck.

“S’Alright, boss. If you want me along, you can always ask,” the Qunari answered before walking back over towards the Chargers. 

Varric looked back at Reilya with a more serious face, “So, Gingerbread, who are you taking? With Tevinters crawling around, I’m surprised you’re only taking a small group.”

“I was wondering about that as well,” Daera spoke up, “It doesn’t really seem right.”

“Well…you see…” Reilya took in a deep breath, “They only asked for me…so Josephine only wants me to take a few people. It’s…extremely likely that it’s a trap.”

“Sounds risky,” Blackwall commented, “Is she certain of this?”

“Leliana was confident…she has spies to help. Cullen wasn’t exactly confident, though,” the small elf spoke.

“Well, doesn’t he want to get the Templars? I wager that was part of it,” Valent offered.

“I suppose…”

“Curly knows what Templars can do. Honestly, walking into a trap sounds like every story I’ve ever read,” Varric said with a chuckle.

Reilya sighed, ears zoning out as the group began to converse back and forth about the mission. Her eyes drifted around the room, watching as other groups of soldiers and even the Chargers all joining together and being merry over dinner. She felt as if she were distant from that feeling, sitting in a circle but not being a part of it. Everyone already had taken the time to get acquainted. They had even pointed out that she had not been present in Haven for the entire time she was in the town. 

A sudden bang on the table ripped her from her thoughts, and her eyes darted to Sera. The blonde had her fist on the table, irritation pulling at her features as her eyes darted to every other person sitting at the table.

“Ugh! It’s too serious here! I’m not here to listen to serious after serious blah blah blah,” Sera mocked as she rose in her seat, “Let’s just eat and drink so everyone can carry on!” Sera picked up an empty glass from the table. Reilya heard the door open to the tavern.

“If everyone’s all doom and gloom, I’m going to go crazy!” Sera yelled as the glass flew from her hand. Everyone’s eyes were on the glass as it flew all the way towards the entrance, missing the Commander by an inch and shattering on the wall. 

Cullen slowly looked from the wall, to the glass on the floor, to the guilty group that stared at him from across the room. Reilya felt her face grow bright red from embarrassment, expecting some sort of backlash from the Commander as his eyes bore into each member of the table. She could feel Daera trembling and beginning to think of an apology, while Valent was mainly watching as if it were a show.

Varric was the first to break the silence, “Damn, Curly. With that sort of luck, you’d be better off playing Wicked Grace.”

Tension dropped when the Commander’s lips curled upward, “Really now?”

Reilya chuckled at the little exchange, mostly from the relief of not getting collectively yelled at by the Commander. 

“I’ll go get our plates,” Valent spoke to his clansmen as he got up from his seat.

“Thank you…” Reilya spoke quietly.

“So, Gingerbread, you ever read _The Tale of the Champion_?”

“No,” Reilya answered automatically, mind drawing a blank at the name.

“Can’t say I’m surprised. Sunflower didn’t know it either.”

“We don’t get books as often as you think , Varric. It’s rare to get close to a book shop,” Daera defended.

“I’m not trying to accuse you guys of being uncultured. Anyway, you guys like stories? Since it’s the first time I’ve seen Gingerbread in here, I’m in the mood to tell one.”

“What kind of story…?” Reilya asked curiously.

“Ever hear of the Champion of Kirkwall?”

 

“You know, Reilya, you could just ride on my horse.”

“I can keep up…I don’t need the horse. We’re almost there, aren’t we?”

Valent watched in amusement as he watched Reilya struggle to keep up with the group on foot. On her other side was the Tevinter, whom Valent hadn’t the chance to gauge yet, and bringing up the rear was Cassandra, who looked a little bit angry at the Herald’s complete refusal to use a horse. The four of them were still on schedule to reach the castle by the hour, with Redcliffe’s gate not too far from where they were.

“You know, I’ve never met someone so opposed to more convenient travel,” the Tevinter commented with a hint of amusement on his breath, “How you’re still standing, I’ll never know.”

“It’s from a lot of practice…” Reilya answered breathlessly.

Valent sighed, “Come on. We can’t have you collapsing in the middle of a trap. It’s like a halla…but bigger. And no antlers.” Reilya sighed, looking as Valent directed his horse closer to her. He extended his hand, half-expecting her to just ignore it and just keep walking. The red-head looked from Valent to the horse quite a few times before she finally relented. She took his hand and pulled up behind him.

“There. That wasn’t so hard, was it?”

“I’m honestly surprised our Herald didn’t keep going. I was a little curious what would happen after travelling from Haven to Redcliffe on foot.”

“We’re a little more used to travelling on foot,” Valent commented as he looked over at the Tevinter.

“I realize that. Still impressive,” the Tevinter spoke.

“Can we go faster?” Reilya mumbled anxiously as she buried her face into Valent’s back. The blonde sighed, wondering why she was so afraid of horses when she had always been fine with halla. Horses weren’t all that different, though he too preferred riding halla whenever the opportunity arose. 

“Alright,” Valent answered with a chuckle before turning back to Cassandra, “Hey, we’re going to go a little faster.”

“Thank the Maker,” Cassandra sighed, “The sooner we get this done, the better.”

The group sped through Redcliffe, passing the various houses and farms. They rode along the water and watched as the castle in the distance began to grow larger and larger. In the trees, they see a growing abundance of crows watching their approach. A likely sign that Leliana’s men were already in position to set the counter-trap.

“I suppose that is my signal,” the Tevinter spoke as crows began to fly above them, “I shall rendezvous with your spies and meet you there.” He sped away on a dirt path that branched out from the main road and led up a hill. Valent found himself watching to see where exactly it led, but soon the hill blocked the view of both the Tevinter and the crows flying over him. 

“It is up to us, now,” Cassandra spoke, “The main gate is just along this path. With any luck, we will make it through.”

“You’re really making this sound pessimistic, Cassandra,” Valent spoke with a laugh, “Don’t worry. I’ve gotten Reilya out of tough spots before. Right, _lethallan_?”

“Are we there yet…?” Reilya grumbled into his back.

Valent snorted, “Well…she’d agree with me any other time.”

“Let’s all be on our guard. Looks like they’ve sent lookouts to tell of our arrival.”

The elf looked ahead, seeing different people beginning to line the road. Some were mages, some were dressed in attire he had never seen before. Based on what he saw the Tevinter wearing, those ones were probably from the same country. He looked from each person as they passed. All of them were staring at the two horses, most of them pointedly looking at Reilya. Valent was thankful that she was too busy with her own fears to see their eyes. There were looks that asked for hope…and others that saw Reilya as an insect that needed to be squashed. 

Whispers filled the air as they got closer to the castle, growing along with the concentration of people. He felt Reilya stiffen at the words. Whether it was a note about her being the Herald of a _shemlen_ savior or a curse that the Herald was a false icon, they were still words that bothered her. Valent took in a deep breath and let it out, trying to contain his discomfort.

“Don’t worry, we’re almost there.”

Valent looked over to Cassandra, who was also looking at the two elves. She gave him a small nod and a reassuring look. It almost felt like they weren’t walking right into the palm of a Magister’s hand. How the seeker could keep such confidence within the entire situation was a mystery to him, but it was something he respected. 

The second they passed through the main gates of the castle, everything fell silent. 

They slowed their horses and stopped, looking around at the walls surrounding them with confusion. Compared to the crowd outside and the noise, everything about the castle was dead. Valent stared at the front door to the castle, which was opened by a small amount to let them know that they could enter. 

“Oh thank the creators…” Reilya mumbled as she quickly slid off the horse and walked a few paces away. She lifted her head, eyes adjusting to the light. Valent slowly slid off his horse and Cassandra did the same, both a little cautious of what might happen once they dismount.

“What’s…wrong here…?” Reilya asked as she looked around in confusion.

“I’d ask the same question,” Valent spoke.

Suddenly, the sound of metal rang through the air. The three of them turned to see the main gates of the castle fall down to the ground. With a clang, the gates locked in place, effectively sealing the three of them inside.

Valent’s eyes widened as he realized just what that meant. They were trapped.

Reilya began to breathe heavily as she looked around, eyes looking for some other way out. Valent looked at her and walked over. He set hands on her shoulders and forced her to stop looking. She looked up at him, eyes wide.

“Hey, don’t worry,” Valent spoke calmly, keeping a steady face, “We’ll get out. We’re not going to get stuck here.”

“That’s right,” Cassandra spoke as she approached the two, “Leliana’s men and Dorian will be in here. We will also stand beside you, Herald.”

“Right…” Reilya spoke as she looked down and took in a few deep breaths to help herself steady. She opened her eyes and looked between the two of them. A trusted clansman and a fellow ally in the fight to seal the breach. The red-head nodded and began to lead the way towards the throne room, where destiny would away them all.

When the three arrived at the throne room, it was as if Reilya had changed somehow. She put up an official front, not once wavering when the guards tried to deny both him and Cassandra access to the meeting. When they finally confronted Alexius, it was the same way. She confidentially went along with the negotiations, even when Valent began to see her tremble. If not for the gravity of the situation, Valent would have smiled at how well she was handling this. He had known her since she arrived at the clan, and seeing this made him proud.

When Dorian appeared and the scouts killed, Valent was beginning to think it was all over. Reilya noticeably relaxed, giving a small smile to the Tevinter as victory began to feel imminent.

Then, the locket appeared.

Valent saw green. The same green he saw in the sky, the same green that glowed on Reilya’s palm on a bad day. He heard Dorian scream, and more magic thrown about. Reilya cried out for help. Valent jumped ahead, pulling his bow from his back in an attempt to shoot the locket from Alexius’ hands.

When he landed, there was nothing.

Valent and Cassandra were alone.

“ _Lethallan_ …?” Valent asked, looking at the pile of green ashes where the green portal had first appeared, “R…Reilya?” His eyes darted around the room, quickly going frantic. Cassandra ran forward to his side, sword and shield at the ready as she stared down Alexius with pure hatred in her eyes.

“What have you done to the two of them? Where has the Herald gone?” Cassandra yelled threateningly. Valent gripped his bow tightly in his hands, glaring at the man that stood by the throne. He quickly took an arrow out and began to aim. His breath quickened as the old _shemlen_ on the throne looked at them with a confident look, taunting them. 

“Where is she?!” Valent yelled. He pulled the arrow back as Alexius’ mouth curled in a triumphant smile. He slowly began to open his mouth.

Green and smoke filled a spot beside the throne. The same noise and feeling of the rifts vibrated through the air. As if the very air around them bent and twisted. Alexius backed away from the green, eyes widening with the realization that something had gone horribly wrong. Noise began to pour from the smoke, growing in volume with every passing second. The most prominent was a desperate, bloodcurdling scream.

“You’ll have to do better than that.”

The smoke began to dissipate, two figures standing beside the throne. Dorian revealed himself confidentially, boring his gaze onto Alexius.

All Valent could focus on was the figure on the left, facing the opposite direction as Dorian. Skin as white as milk, eyes wide and face covered in tears. Lips were parted, slowly closing with the realization that she was standing somewhere new. Her hands were reaching out towards something, something that was no longer there. Hands began to drop, fingers trembling, light reflecting the sweat on her skin. Eyes began to move, glazed over, slowly realizing that she had returned. Chest steadied in tempo, breaths still shaky. Dorian let the hand around her waist fall. 

She stood frozen in time as Alexius dropped to the ground. 

 

It was Cassandra who first arrived in Haven, countless mages following behind. 

Daera watched in relief from the top of a snowy hill, the morning sun shining against their red hair. Countless mages walked in a line from the horizon, all seeking refuge alongside the soldier encampment on the outskirts of Haven. They felt a calming breath flow from their throat, thankful that their clansmen had returned safely. Since the group had left, Daera and other members of the inner circle had obviously kept their friends in their thoughts. Bull’s Chargers were the only ones who hadn’t waited in baited breath, doing some surveying near Haven as a favor to Cullen. Thankfully, they had returned not long before Cassandra arrived. Now, all they wanted to see was the horse containing Reilya.

Then again, Reilya probably made the journey back on foot. Daera felt themself smile as they shook their head, wondering just what had provoked Reilya’s strange distaste for horses. They hoped that Valent had at least tried to get their youngest member on a horse for part of the way. Last time Reilya had chosen to walk an entire way without help, she could barely get out of bed after returning to Haven.

“Daera?”

The First looked down to spot Cassandra looking up to her. The red-head’s first response was to smile, but it faded once she fully glanced upon the seeker’s face. It was completely morose, a careful concern on her features.

“What is it, Cassandra?” Daera asked as she stood and walked down the hill.

Cassandra bowed her head before taking in a deep breath, “The Herald has already returned to Haven. We thought it best for her not to be displayed plainly, so she was among the mages. Valent and Dorian are both tailing the end of the line, but will not be back for a short while.”

“What…?” Daera whispered, “Why? What happened at Redcliffe?”

“I…” Cassandra paused, “I am not entirely sure. Something happened to both Dorian and the Herald during the meeting. Dorian has not fully disclosed the information yet, but he did mention that they both witnessed the future.”

“The future…?” Daera remembered asking Dorian about time magic for the short time he was in Haven, though they hadn't gotten exact details. All they knew was that time magic involved the rifts in some way and also had a hand in how the mages fell to Tevinter. 

“I know it may sound strange,” Cassandra spoke, “I…thought it would be good if you were to approach the Herald first. Dorian did not seem exactly… _concerned_ of what they saw there, but whatever future they saw affected her.”

“I…don’t know where to even begin,” Daera whispered. What kind of future would affect their clansman so dramatically? If Reilya were sent to the future, perhaps she saw a future where The Breach was not closed?

Cassandra turned towards the village and straightened her shoulders, “Please…try to help. I am sure that once all of the mages reach Haven, Leliana, Cullen, and Josephine will all wish to discuss these events with her. I will fetch her when it happens.” The seeker began to walk down towards the front gates, likely to help Cullen with directing the mages through the village. 

“Wait!” Daera called out as she ran down the hill. Cassandra turned her head back and watched the elf reach the bottom of the hill.

“ _Ma serannas_ , Cassandra,” Daera spoke, “I will try my hardest.” As soon as they were done speaking, they began to hurry along the roads, avoiding mages and scrambling soldiers. It didn’t take long for Daera to reach Reilya’s little house. They saw Solas standing not too far away and tried not to look at him for fear of angering him yet again with the mention of _elves_. They felt his eyes on her as they opened the door. As they turned back to close the door, they were surprised to see that Solas had a sympathetic look on his face. Daera gave a polite nod in his direction before shutting the door.

“Daera…” her name was whispered like a breath in the wind, barely audible over the life that occured on the other side of the wooden walls. Daera immediately turned, red ponytails whipping around as if in a dance. Reilya sat on her bed, back against the wall and legs folded against her stomach. Her face was pale, her entire frame trembling against the cold.

“Reilya…” they whispered, immediately walking over to the bed and pulling off a blanket folded at the end. Daera wrapped the blanket around her clansman and climbed up into the bed. They held their arms out, unsure of whether they should embrace her or not. Daera had only seen her like this once before. Reilya had been only ten, only days after the clan saw sparks shoot from her hands. They had been close to a city with an Alienage. Valent had brought her back, carrying her as she cried and trembled from fear. Her first encounter with a Templar.

“I…I don’t think I can do this…” Reilya whispered as she leaned into Daera, resting her head onto their chest, “T-They…they all…they’re dead!” She let out a sob, trembling violently as panic began to seize her. Daera held her tight, breathing deeply and steadily to help her get through this. Reilya sniffed, matching Daera’s breaths and soon calming down.

“Nobody died, _lethallan_. You only saw a possible future. Nobody was killed at Redcliffe.”

“N-No…you don’t…” Reilya took in another deep breath, “The future…i-it’s what happens if we fail. Do you know what Valent and Cassandra did? What Leliana did? They let themselves die so Dorian and I could go back. They told me that I was their hope. Me.”

“Valent…?”

“I saw him die…” Reilya admitted, “He died for me. How could he…?” She cried out in a sob, and Daera simply waited. They rubbed her back and held her close, letting her know that they were still there, still alive. 

“I-I can’t do this…” Reilya repeated, “Every second I spent there…it was terrible. Dorian kept on playing it off as nothing special. He had to physically pull me through because Leliana was there. Her eyes were on me as those things just tore her apart and she was everywhere and blood was – ”

“Reilya,” Daera looked down and met her in the eyes. Reilya’s eyes were bloodshot, face completely flushed from crying.

“That may be the future, but by coming back we can stop it,” Daera gave her a small smile, “You are not alone. I will always be here, and Valent would never abandon you. You also have friends here. Cassandra was concerned. Varric has been waiting for your return ever since you left.”

“But…I just…”

Daera pulled her close, “You’ve always been special, Reilya. You’re brave for going to Redcliffe, and you’re brave now. Remember that.”

Reilya fell silent, and the two sat silently on the bed, holding each other. Daera tried to keep calm as the new information poured through their head.

They wished that the next future would be kind to Reilya.

 

_”V…Valent…?”_

_A figure twisted amongst the red crystals that jutted in the cage. The singing pulsed in her head again, scratching at her ears as she felt an eye fall upon her. It was hardly an eye. The iris burned a bright red, any hint of color erased. A red crystal jutted from the right eye socket, which had partially consumed half of his face. Blonde hair was too long, too dead to belong to him. His clothes were the same, partially torn by the crystals that_ still sung in her head growing too loud _and one jutted from the center of his chest. She couldn’t look away and_ he was staring right at her with the eyes like the song _and his cracked lips parted, disbelief covering his features, all familiar but nothing the same._

_”Reilya…?”_

Reilya woke up and puked over the side of her bed.

Her body trembled as she tried to steady her breathing. Everything that happened in the future had been something that could have come true, and knowing that made the memories worse. She stifled a cry as she sat up in her bed and buried her face in a pillow, trying to scream the memories from her head. She had already recounted the events with Dorian to Leliana. Why couldn’t they just go away? Why couldn’t she forget and let Leliana and Dorian bear the responsibility? 

She took in a shaky breath as she walked right out of the house, not bothering to touch the bile left on the floor. She didn’t want to clean it and be left thinking about what had happened. Despite the late night, people were still walking around. The mages had just arrived, and Haven was scrambling to provide for the hundreds who had come to the doorstep. For once, she relished in the noise. It means everything was alive and the red crystals were gone and she didn’t have to remember the silence of Redcliffe castle. The once comforting silence contorted to memories. She could still hear Valent's ragged breaths, each one sounding like agony as if his lungs were on fire. Red eyes that followed her everywhere - the one thing that had escaped the madness.

Reilya walked confidentially around, not paying mind to those who celebrated a sighting of their reclusive savior. She wanted to try and put up that front, the front she had at the Redcliffe meeting and the one she put up when Cullen questioned just why she had accepted the mages as allies rather than charges. That wasn’t her. Daera had said that she was brave. That was only her front. She could only eat with people when Valent brought her with him. She could barely handle the decisions of an argument-breaker, let alone the fate of a world. She preferred the silence and moments to recharge, but even that had been taken from her.

The Herald of Andraste was a title that didn't suit her. Why did they still look to her with eyes that hoped for a religious figure?

She was only two steps from the gate when a voice called out to her, “Herald!” Reilya stopped and looked to see Cullen walking towards her.

“C…Commander…” Reilya greeted, trying desperately to hide the shaking in her voice, the shaking that seemed to overtake her body whenever she kept still. She had hoped that everyone would have kept busy in the chaos.

“Where are you going?” Cullen asked, “With what happened at Redcliffe, we don’t – ” He stopped abruptly, eyes widening at something on her face. She watched, not entirely caring just where the conversation was going. The words kept the memories from her brain. The noise kept it all away, even the singing that remained on the fringes of her thoughts.

“Are…” Cullen began hesitantly, “Are you…alright? I heard what happened from Leliana.”

Reilya lowered her eyes, “I couldn’t sleep.” She took in a few deep breaths when flashes of her nightmare poured back into her eyes. Cullen raised a hand, but retracted it after a few moments. She looked back up at him, wondering why he was taking such a long time to respond. She remembered when she had found him by the lake, standing alone because he couldn’t sleep.

A sigh escaped his lips as he scratched the back of his neck, a habit she was beginning to notice, “W-Well…if you want to walk, then please allow me to go with you. There’s no telling what can be out there right now…” She looked at him with some confusion, not entirely expecting that kind of answer from him. She was expecting him to command she stay within the village. 

“T-That is, i-if you wouldn’t mind, Herald,” Cullen retracted.

Reilya paused, taking in his features. Unsure, hesitant, amber eyes flickering around to other places with occasional glances back on her face. Amber eyes untainted by the red. Nothing corrupted by the red crystals.

“That…would be nice,” Reilya spoke, “Only…please use my name. I…don’t want to think about that. The title, I mean.” She took in a deep breath.

“Of course. Lead the way…Reilya,” Cullen answered as Reilya began to walk out towards the forest. They could hear the clamoring of mages setting up their camps and gathering to celebrate freedom from the magisters. While the noise kept her mind off of the thoughts, she frowned as the noise began to grow quieter.

“Cullen…? Can tell me about Kirkwall…?” Reilya asked.

“Kirkwall isn’t that cheery of a tale,” Cullen answered.

“Not that…just…what was the city like? Like the people…the Alienage…?” Reilya spoke quietly, “Please…? I don’t want to think right now…”

Cullen was silent for a while, “Perhaps you can tell me of your clan, as well?”

Reilya looked at him, the smallest curve forming on her lips, “I…well…if you want to.” The memories began to grow quieter. She focused only on the words and the lake that reflected the stars in the sky. She focused on the things that were alive, the person that was alive beside her. That was what she needed. She needed to know that everything was going to be alright.

“Of course,” Cullen answered with a chuckle, “The first thing you need to know about Kirkwall is that there are spikes _everywhere_ …”


	5. Three Dalish and the Breach

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the mages successfully settled into Haven, it has been decided that the Breach must be sealed. Reilya and an entourage of assistants leave to seal the Breach, not knowing what would happen shortly after...

Every soul looked to the sky.

Haven was frozen, every resident keeping watch of the Breach since the Herald left with the most talented mages available. They all waited for a reaction, a sign that the Inquisition’s plan had worked. A sign that their Herald would return safe. A sign that there was still some hope left in Thedas.

Valent sat alone on the rooftop of the tavern, squinting through the afternoon sunlight into the edge of a mountain, where the temple had previously been. As the Herald, Reilya was the center piece of the entire plan. As an accomplished mage, Daera departed at Reilya’s side to assist the mages. As a hunter, all Valent could do was hope for good news.

Eyes widened as green began to radiate from the horizon. A single bolt of green jolted erratically upwards like lightning, shooting into the center of the crack in the sky. The green pressed into itself into one ball before shooting off in multiple directions, all fading away quickly after. As the flash faded from his eyes, he saw blue. Clouds spun around a crack in the blue sky. 

The Breach had been closed.

 

Reilya was flooded with cheers the second she stepped back into Haven. Through her dazed mind and shaky posture from how drained the mark had left her, she still willed herself to smile at all of the joyful faces around her. It almost had seemed impossible for her to ever do something so huge, but now it was over. Even the burning that lingered on her hand didn’t dilute the sensation, not quite minding all of the attention for once.

It didn’t take long for the celebrations to start. In the center of Haven, groups from all walks of life had begun to drink and dance. The bard from the tavern had come outside, and Reilya wished to be able to go and step to the music with the others. Instead, by Daera’s insistence, she was to sit until she felt better. Her feet dangled from the small wall overlooking the merriment, and from there she could spot some of her companions beginning to join the party. 

“Are you feeling any better?”

Cassandra took a step into the fringes of Reilya’s vision. The red-head turned her head and nodded with a sheepish smile.

“Yes…I’m sure that I’ll be better in a few hours,” the elf looked back to the party, hoping that she’d be able to join them soon.

“I am sure that you’ll certainly be better than most of them later,” Cassandra commented, though Reilya couldn’t tell if she was being condescending or more casual. Ever since their first…negative encounter after the conclave, she had always seen Cassandra as a more serious figure. It had taken some effort of Cassandra’s part to make Reilya a little less skittish around her at first, but after the months of working together Reilya felt much more at ease with the Seeker around.

“I mean…the Breach is gone…it’s good to celebrate it,” Reilya commented with a smile.

“I suppose. Keep in mind that Cullen and I would like to discuss potentially investigating the Templars tomorrow,” Cassandra sighed, “Some Templars have arrived in Haven a few hours ago, and their accounts have been – ”

“Hey Cassandra! Been wondering where you’ve been.”

A familiar blonde broke from the crowd and walked up towards the wall, nodding towards Reilya with a happy grin.

“Hello, Valent,” Cassandra greeted with a slight sigh.

“Hello, _lethallin_ ,” Reilya chimed in happily.

“Still grounded, Rei?” Valent joked before looking back towards the Seeker, “What are you doing? Reilya fixed the sky and you’re still at attention?”

“Some of us still need to keep things in order,” Cassandra replied.

“Pretty sure the Templar and our spy have everything covered,” Valent spoke, “Come down. It’s a nice break from all the stuff that’s been happening. You should too after you’re better, Reilya.”

“Well…I suppose – ”

“Alright!” Valent hopped lifted himself up the wall and walked up to Cassandra, “Let’s go.”

“Wait! I didn’t mean…”

Reilya felt herself giggle at the sight of her clansman practically dragging the tall human down towards the celebration. Cassandra seemed so unaccustomed to anything that wasn’t on a battlefield or in the war room. This kind of thing would definitely be a good thing for her. 

“Hey Gingerbread, did I really just see the Seeker get dragged into a party, or is this some sort of Fade trick?”

She nearly jumped at Varric’s voice. Reilya looked down from the wall and saw the dwarf looking up at her, a calculating grin on his face.

“That was definitely it,” Reilya responded with a small chuckle.

“Damn…looks like I owe Charming a few silvers…” Varric spoke under his breath. Reilya raised an eyebrow. 

“So…I guess that was just a bet…?”

“Well, I told Charming he wouldn’t be able to get the Seeker down here if he tried. But looks like it is possible. I’m surprised the world isn’t ending…”

“But the Breach is sealed…?”

“Figure of speech, Gingerbread. Anyway, you alright sitting up there alone? Pretty sure I can get Hero to give up his chair. Whole celebration feels a little weird without you there, especially since all this was your doing.”

Reilya paused, looking over at the crowd gathered at the center of Haven, “Well…I guess I can go over there…”

“Just what I wanted to hear. Now if only we could get those other three in on this. Maybe I can try telling Ruffles that some nobles have arrived,” Varric pondered with a light laugh. Reilya slowly climbed down from the top of the wall, keeping a firm hold on it after her feet touched the ground to steady the waviness of her vision. 

It took a few second before Reilya walked over, a light smile on her face, “Josephine wouldn’t believe it…I know she expects nobles weeks in advance.”

“The Breach was just closed. Anything can happen,” Varric waved off as they began to walk towards the party, “Now, with Curly it might be easy. Say some soldiers are being rowdy and he’ll be marching on over. The one person I don’t know would be Nightingale.”

“I…honestly don’t know either,” Reilya answered.

“She’s an enigma to us all.”

Reilya nodded before she felt something tug against her leg. She stumbled, falling forward a ways before two strong hands caught her.

“You alright, Herald?”

Blackwall helped the elf straighten up. He looked her over, likely checking to see that nothing was amiss, before he directed his attention to somewhere behind her.

“Yes…thank you…” Reilya spoke with a hint of confusion as she began to follow the Warden’s eyes. 

“I’m so sorry. Are you okay?”

She met blue eyes, belonging to a figure that stood close – too close. He had blonde hair that stuck out in nearly every direction and tanned, scarred skin that told of years of training in the sun. Reilya winced when a shine caught her eye, and she looked down to see a full set of Templar armor, polished and well-worn. Reilya took an instinctive step back as she looked back up to his shallow eyes. Eyes that seemed to bore into her very being. Eyes that made her want to hide.

“I…I’m okay…” she managed to squeak out.

His lips contorted to a relieved smile, “That’s good. I am sorry, again. Name’s Riley. What’s yours?” He outstretched a hand, and Reilya couldn’t help but notice that it was the only thing that detracted from the image of an ideal Templar. Completely bare hands, with prominent burn scars covering the skin. The gloves were missing.

“You really don’t know?” Blackwall spoke suspiciously as he stepped to Reilya’s side.

“What do you mean?” Riley replied, the slightest hint of irritation on his features.

“You mean you don’t know you just tripped the Herald?” Varric spoke as he stepped slightly in front of Reilya, “And I thought Buttercup was risky.”

“I assure you, I did not know,” Riley defended, retracting his hand in offense.

“Sure you didn’t,” Varric scoffed, “If you didn’t, then I’m the queen of Antiva. How about you just run along, now?”

Riley paused, eyes flickering between the Herald, the dwarf, and the Warden warily before he forced a smile onto his face, “Alright. I shall see you around. Your worship…” The blonde bowed his head to Reilya before he began to walk away. Reilya could only stare as he left, not able to get the sinking feeling that there was something wrong.

Varric sighed as he turned back around, “Curly really needs to do some work with some of those guys…”

“I haven’t seen that one around before,” Blackwall spoke.

“Cassandra mentioned that some just got to Haven…” Reilya offered, trying to keep her mind off of the Templar.

“You know, that just sounds suspicious in itself. How about we just go back? Let’s at least have one day without doom and gloom,” Varric spoke as he walked towards the party with Reilya and Blackwall not far behind. 

Reilya took another glance back at where the Templar once stood, wondering just what that had been all about.

 

The sun was just over the horizon, and Daera was content to watch the celebration and note how similar they were to how they celebrated in the clan. While the Dalish had some more elegance and ritual to the different kinds of revelry, the spirit of it could be seen in the humans as well, albeit with much more drinking.

Everyone danced in the center, with the bard having recently walked back outside from a dinner break. Reilya shakily had joined in as well, though it was obvious she was still feeling the effects of sealing such a large rift. Still, it was a much better improvement than a few hours prior, so Daera allowed it. They knew how much Reilya enjoyed dancing, no matter what the situation was. 

“Excuse me, Serah Daera?”

Daera’s eyes flickered up from the dancing to see a figure standing not too far from them, nervously playing with his hands.

“Yes?”

“May I…speak with you alone?”

 

Reilya smiled brightly as she danced in the center of the crowd. Though her moves were a little more sluggish than she was used to and her feet felt a little sore from the cold, she relished in the fluid motions. Dancing had always been the escape. To escape from the eyes of her more disapproving clansmen. The feeling of everyone dancing in revelry was foreign to her, but it made the dancing feel the slightest bit more free.

As the bard ended the song and let the note ring out, she felt a tap on her shoulder. Reilya turned her head, smile bright. 

She met the eyes of the Commander, whose serious face crushed her smile.

“Yes…?” Reilya asked hesitantly as she walked out of the dancing circle before the next song began, “What is it, Commander?”

“I was told that some of the Templars had been rather…unbecoming. I would like to apologize on their behalf. Unfortunately, there are bound to be those kind in our ranks,” Cullen explained as he followed Reilya to the edge of the party, to where a campfire usually sat.

“Well…” Reilya spoke with a sigh, “It was only one person…though…”

“What?”

“He was rather...well…he was…”

 

Daera knew this had to be some sort of confession. They knew that while they did favors for Josephine, they had a few eyes lingering upon them as they went. Both male and female. They had just gotten used to such things. None of them had really acted upon their affections, so they had never thought about actually being confronted with it.

But here Daera stood at the closed gates of Haven just as night began to fall, with a blonde Templar practically tripping over his words.

“You see…I…”

Daera kept their smile, but didn’t know how to exactly phrase a rejection when he hadn’t said anything yet.

 

“He made me feel really uneasy. But…not in the usual way…” Reilya admitted quietly.

“Because he was a Templar?”

“No…I-I mean…it was partially that. Sorry…”

“No offense taken.”

“It was more of a different kind…almost like he wanted something from me…specifically.”

“Do you know his name?”

 

“I’m sorry, Riley, but unfortunately I cannot return your feelings,” Daera answered with a polite smile.

“Ah…” Riley let out a light breath of air, “Kinda had a feeling. Sorry for taking you from the party.”

“No, it is fine.”

“Perhaps we can be acquaintances? I still would enjoy talking with you, regardless,” Riley offered out his hand and a gentle smile. Daera looked down, tracing the multiple burn scars across his skin. They simply smiled, thankful that this had gone easier than expected.

 

“Riley? He seemed accepting of mages at first. I wonder…”

Reilya’s eyes wandered to the gate of Haven and spotted Daera standing with someone. She saw blonde hair, and immediately recognized the figure when she saw the armor. Cullen followed her gaze to the very spot, also observing. The two seemed rather friendly, though honestly Reilya wasn’t surprised that the First would be able to strike a bond with anyone.

 

She gently took his hand.

In a second, his hand was crushing hers.

“At last…!”

Green overwhelmed her. Riley’s face contorting into a sinister smirk before dissolving into nothing. Trees sprouted up around her, fog filling her eyes and banishing Haven’s gates from their thoughts. In Riley’s place as a black reflection of herself, green eyes peering straight back into their own. They could feel liquid on their feet.

Daera looked around and screamed.

The entire clan lay dead upon the ground, blood forming a lake around them.

 

Green burned into Reilya’s irises.

“Daera!” she cried, taking a few steps forward.

The light died, and Reilya’s stomach dropped at the sight before her. 

Daera stood rigid, staring straight into the face of the most deformed creature she had ever looked upon. A face with no eyes, arms protruding from its back, legs bent circular and situated on the ground like a spider, and stretched out skin that could barely cover red, pulsating flesh. Reilya halted, eyes widening at just what had become of the Templar. She could hear Cullen grunt and pull out a sword, but she couldn’t move. The creature screeched, arms flailing in unnatural directions before it made its way towards the gate. 

“Stop!” Cullen yelled as he began to charge. Instead, the creature climbed right up the wall dropped out of the village. The Commander paused, looking to see if any of the other soldiers on duty had seen the creature.

Then the bells began to ring.

Reilya snapped out of her trance and looked to the Commander, her eyes slowly widening at just what that signal meant. Cullen looked back, something inside of him going over the countless reasons to why it had been called.

They began to hear fighting from outside the wall. Cullen swallowed, and Reilya looked out over the wall, where she could see the flickering of torches peaking over the horizon.

Haven was under attack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Based on the events of Champions of the Just, I assumed that Envy would need to have skin contact with its victim in order to begin the mind reading process. Also, this being a more stealthy trick, he did not call into either one of their minds as to not create a stir. I just figured an explanation was necessary! I hope you guys enjoyed the inclusion of some of the Templar plot into the story!


	6. Three Dalish and Haven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Templars disfigured with red crystals and a giant darkspawn with deep eyes. An archdemon flying overhead, burning all that they had called home for the past few months. Reilya watches the wreckage, watches as Haven burns to the ground.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As of February 19th, there has been a large edit done to previous chapters. Daera is referred to with they/them pronouns, which has been changed in previous chapters and are used in this chapter.

Daera could hardly understand what was happening around them.

It had happened so quickly, the time spent in their head was like a dream. A dream that played back everytime they closed their eyes.

_The clan lying dead upon the ground. A shadowy figure before them, watching every crease on their face and every reaction poured from their mouth. Shock. Agony. The green eyed one smiled when her eyes fell to a particular member of the clan. A childhood friend. Someone dear. Someone cherished beyond Reilya and Valent. Dead._

Eyes opened. Fire burning in the air. Haven burning. A hand leading them toward the Chantry. A pounding in their head that didn’t cease, blocking out all of the chaos into white noise. They looked to meet the eyes of Valent. Concern. Fear. The only color left on his face was the _vallaslin_ of Mythal on his forehead.

Daera closed their eyes.

_Scenery changes. Standing in the forest alone. Blood gone, shadowed figure replaced with Minan. They stare at her, remembering her dead body that had been right by their feet. Wavering. Relief. A voice calls out from the unknown, echoing off of the trees._

_”You’re hurting, jumbled, confusion. The clan lies dead yet still lives. Envy is hurting you.”_

Green eyes open to meet pale blue ones. The blue eyes that had traced them in their head. The same blonde hair that dusted over them, as if it was a way to hide along with the hat. He looked at them, lips parted as he mumbled a mantra under his breath before he turned away to another direction. 

“Come on, _lethallan_! Snap out of it!” Valent called out desperately as they realized the tugging upon their arm. The desperate pull towards the chantry that they had been too blind to notice. Daera took in a deep breath, senses still dull enough that everything still seemed a dream. They tried to keep moving, trying to shake off the feeling from being pulled from inside their head. Something was going wrong, and they had to be ready to help.

 

Valent could barely keep up with what was happening.

He had been busy celebrating, trying to keep the Soldier in the party to secure those silvers that Varric had bet on. Reilya had walked away with the Templar, and only seconds later he heard alarms and people screaming on the edge of Haven. A light began to burn on the horizon, and he could have sworn to have seen something hideous climb over the wall. 

It only figured that the shit would hit the fan.

He had ran to entrance of the gate. Reilya had been frantic, her trembling hands around Daera’s shoulders with a strange blonde boy next to them. Cullen was cursing about trusting the new recruits before barking out orders to the soldiers. Next thing Valent knew, Reilya had trusted Daera to him and now he was running straight to the Chantry with a bunch of children.

The second they entered the building, his ears were filled with voices. Some recited the chant, some had drank themselves to incomprehension during the party, and some were just asking questions that no one knew the answer to. Where did they come from? Why were Templars attacking our village? Was that a demon climbing the gates?

Valent made his way further to the chantry and found a spot near a pillar that had not been claimed.

“There you go…how about you sit here?” Valent spoke as he turned towards Daera. Some recognition had finally settled back into their eyes, though there was still confusion embedded into them. They sat down to the wall and looked up at Valent.

“It was a demon…an envy demon…” Daera spoke carefully as they brushed a hand through one of their ponytails.

“A what?” Valent asked.

“Envy. I’ve heard of it before…but the Dalish hardly fear those demons. They never…where’s Reilya?” Daera’s eyes widened as they looked around at the others in the chantry.

“She’s outside. With a bunch of armor and a Qunari with her.”

“She can’t be out there.”

“You know, if there wasn’t an army at our – ”

“The Elder One is only after her.”

Valent stared, remembering the name from the Tevinter’s ramblings all the way back to Haven. It was in the future that some Elder One had taken over the world in such a horrid way it left Reilya practically mute for days. His face turned serious, kneeling down to meet Daera in the eye.

“How do you know?”

“Envy wanted to use my form to bring her to the Elder One. And then…take her form.”

“Shit…”

 

Jagged, red crystals protruded from their skin. Half of their face was encased in crystal, and the skin around the crystal was deteriorating and turning brown and rotted. Sagging, red eyes looked directly at her, tracking the magic charging in the palm of her hand. All of them began to look at her. Cursed eyes that could spot magic a mile away like a compass. A detection that could overlook the threats of three warriors, and it just made her skin cold.

They were still Templars, always watching and always vigilant to a magical threat. But they were red with a song that ran thick in the air. Completely deformed, corrupted from their usual selves. Is this why they were like this at Val Royeaux? The corruption?

Reilya sent the bolt flying into the crystalized Templar and made her way back to the trebuchet. Bull finished the job, and in the corner of her eye she could see Cassandra and Blackwall finishing off the rest. Another lull in the wave. One last wind of the trebuchet would do it.

 

Valent had taken to high ground, shooting down any threat with precision. He could spot Reilya’s group on the left side of a wall, with the red-head desperately winding a trebuchet to launch at the side of a mountain. Solas, Varric, and Dorian were blocking the main gates to keep the Templars from entering the town. Sera and Vivienne were individually working to assist the soldiers in their own way, with Sera just shooting at anything red that moved and Vivienne working side by side with the soldiers. 

As he let another arrow fly, he saw the trebuchet fire. Reilya stood and watched as the mountain in the distance shook, and avalanche flooding the canyon in front of them. An army of torches going out all at once.

“Alright!” Valent whispered with a smirk as he began to make his way towards her group. If that Daera said was true, then they needed to get her to safety immediately. The minor lull in fighting would definitely be the perfect time to sneak her from the field.

A screech pierced the silence.

Valent looked overhead.

A dragon, twisted and corrupt. Some of the scales looked as if they had melted around its skin, and some parts looked decayed. Like someone had reanimated the corpse of a dragon. A shadow overtook Haven, and a fire rained down upon the village.

 

“Help me! Please! The door’s stuck!”

“I’m here! I’m here!” Reilya called out as she desperately stabbed at the door with the blade at the end of her staff. She could feel tears sting her eyes through the panic. Everyone had scattered after the dragon come, and Reilya yelled to save everyone they could. It was only chance she had gotten to the small house on the corner of the Chantry before taking cover herself.

A hand grabbed her shoulder and pulled her from the door. She could feel her hands still moving, trembling as Blackwall charged the door to open it immediately. Someone emerged from the house, face black with smoke and soot and hands covered in burns.

“Come on! There’s no more time!”

Cassandra took her arm and began to pull her towards the Chantry. Reilya’s eyes were everywhere, watching as Haven burned to the ground with the crystalized monsters climbing over the rubble.

It was the end of the world.

“Move…keep going…! The Chantry is your shelter…” 

Reilya met the eyes of the Chancellor as she was led inside. His face gaunt and pale, covered in blood. His trembling hand desperately trying to shield a spot on his stomach. She could see blood leaking out from between his fingers. He had been stabbed.

“ _Lethallan!_ There you are!” 

As Cassandra dropped Reilya’s arm to likely check with the others, Valent approached.

“Is Daera okay?” Reilya asked immediately.

“She’s alright now, but there’s something you need to know. They want to kill you.”

 

Daera scurried from person to person as they all ran in from Haven, checking for wounds and injuries. They had shaken themself from the shock, as Envy had wielded a different method they had not encountered before, and made themself help when they could. They needed to make sure that everyone was alright. Valent had gone to make sure that Reilya was going to be okay, so they trusted him to it. There was a reason he was the best in the clan, and they had to make sure to do their part in the Chantry.

“The Elder One doesn’t care about the village. He only wants the Herald.”

The familiar voice drew their attention to the front of the Chantry, where several people had gathered. Reilya stood closest to the door, green eyes wide and her mouth slightly open. Cullen stood in front of her, covered in blood from the battle outside. Cole was sitting next to Chancellor Roderick, who had taken a fatal blow to the stomach. Valent stood closely by her side, wearing an uncharacteristically poisonous face as his eyes flickered back and forth from Cullen to Cole.

“If…it will save everyone…t-then I…”

“No,” Valent spoke, words hard as he stepped closer to Reilya.

“It won’t help. The Elder One will kill them anyway. He wants to kill you. I don’t like him,” Cole continued. Reilya faltered as her eyes fell down to the ground.

“Herald,” Cullen took in a deep breath, “There is no tactic to make this survivable. The only thing that slowed them was the avalanche. If we were to turn the remaining trebuchets to cause one last slide…”

“T-That would bury Haven!” Reilya said, looking up to meet him in the eye. Daera could tell that she didn’t want to do that. Reilya looked around, searching for some other way to proceed as Cullen continued, speaking again how it was the only way to proceed. They were going to die in Haven, and there was no way around it.

“Chancellor Roderick can help. He wants to say it before he dies.”

Daera felt themself taking a step forward, hope stirring in their head.

 

“Can this path work?” Reilya asked, turning her head to Cullen.

“Possibly…” Cullen paused, looking at her for a moment, “But what of your escape?”

“What do you mean? She’ll be coming with us,” Valent interjected, stepping between the two. Cullen took in a deep breath, not wishing to say the words that would explain it.

“The Elder One will not stop. He will follow. He will kill,” Reilya looked back at the strange blonde that appeared at Haven only an hour ago. She knew that what he spoke was true. Anything that could warp Templars into such creatures would not stop. They would never stop until they got what they wanted. They wanted her to die.

She could feel her voice go quiet and her body fall numb as the words fell from her mouth, “I…have to bury Haven.”

Valent turned around, “No you don’t! If they bury them before – ”

“If anyone’s inside during the avalanche…they’ll be trapped. If I go with them…they will pass over Haven. _Lethallin_ …I…”

“I…have to…” Reilya lifted her head and gave Valent a gentle smile, “I can’t let everyone die for me.”

“Perhaps…you will find a way,” Cullen spoke softly.

“Don’t, _shem_. Not when you want to send her to her death,” Valent seethed. Reilya lowered her head, remembering the times spent in the clan. She remembered Valent practically taking her under his wing as a younger sister. He had been the only other one from an alienage. He had always looked out for her and taken care of her when she wandered too close to a village or a Templar. 

She couldn’t let him die.

Reilya saw a pair of feet enter the edges of the conversation, and she looked up to see Daera staring straight at her. Daera had always been the kindest of the clan, the most willing to talk to the city elves and the most open minded. She remembered the First gently scolding her after wandering too far from the settlement, their dark skinned bodyguard glaring down at her from over Daera’s shoulder. They had always looked out for her, always making sure that she felt included within a clan she hadn’t been born to.

Reilya knew what she needed to do.

“G…Get Cassandra, Varric, and Solas. We’ll hold them off…” Reilya watched as Cullen nodded and made his way further into the Chantry. Valent turned to look at her with wide eyes. In the distance, she could see Daera doing the same.

“Reilya…”

“I-It’ll be fine…” Reilya felt the need to convince herself as well, “Like Cullen said…m-maybe I’ll find a way out. Just…please don’t wait. The clan needs you.”

“They need you, too.”

Reilya saw her party and a galleon of soldiers walk towards the gates.

“The soldiers will load the trebuchets. Keep the Elder One’s attention until we’re above the tree line,” Cullen spoke as Reilya walked towards the Chantry doors, ignoring the stares of her clansmen, “If we are to have a chance – if _you_ are to have a chance – let that thing hear you.”

Reilya took in a deep breath, trying to keep the memories playing in her thoughts. She had to be strong. For once in her life, she needed to stand strong to protect her clan. She could not afford to have anyone save her this time. She was going to save Haven.

 

Valent stood staring at the door for minutes after Reilya left, standing still even after the village began to file out from the back. He couldn’t believe it. His clansman had willing gone to die. 

“ _Lethallin_ …we need to leave…”

The blonde turned to Daera, eyes shining with tears yet to spill. He could see the entire village clogging the back, but they had begun to thin out. Cullen and the rest of the soldiers were attempting to keep order and make sure that everyone was leaving in an orderly fashion. His eyes bore into the back of the Templar’s head. He was the one who originally planted the stupid idea into Reilya’s head.

“Valent…?” Daera asked as he began to move. He didn’t move – he charged. He charged right into the supposed ‘Commander’ of the army. In a second, he had slammed the _shemlen_ on a pillar. His hands whipped to the one thing vulnerable in the disgustingly polished armor of a man in charge – the neck. Valent put pressure onto the Commander’s windpipe, but not enough to choke. Surprised amber eyes stared at him in a panic, and Valent didn’t care if the soldiers struck him down as long as he got to see that panic in the Templar’s eyes for another minute.

“Valent! What are you doing?” Daera yelled as they ran to the back of the Chantry.

“You…” Valent spoke between clenched teeth, “Do you know you just sent her to her death?”

“Valent! Stop it!”

“Do you know how old she is? She’s just a kid! She’s only twenty one and _you’ve just sent her to die_!” Valent yelled, voice increasing to go over the volume of unsheathing swords, “What the hell kind of Commander are you? Are you so fucking useless you can’t keep her alive?”

“Valent!” a hand wrapped around his wrist as pulled it from the Templar’s throat, “That’s enough!” The voice wavered, and Valent looked to see tears flowing from Daera’s eyes. He could see an aura of magic bubbling from their skin, reading to strike him off if necessary.

Valent let his other hand drop, and the Commander let out a breath of relief as he took a step back. His muscles trembled, fists clenching tight. He glared up at the Commander, who was wearing an unreadable expression that fought to keep level.

“She had better live.”

Valent wordlessly passed by the soldiers into the crowd of people, Daera following behind with a silence of understanding. Daera could understand his anger, his complete rage. They had both known Reilya to be a little sister. While Daera drew tears, Valent drew blades.

He turned back towards the Chantry, to the eyes of the soldiers and the Commander following him. Then his eyes flickered to the closed door of the Chantry, hoping that Reilya would find it after she set the avalanche.


	7. Three Dalish and Skyhold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> cold. pain. pressure against her cheek, like daera healing a scrape after the bad men chased her. she opens her eyes. stinging, dryness. she sees a hole above her, but can’t focus on the colors. white on white on black on black. she moves. red. everything is red as her hands brush against her body. everything is red and she cannot think she cannot see she cannot feel she cannot hear. only pain. only red.

_cold. pain. pressure against her cheek, like daera healing a scrape after the bad men chased her. she opens her eyes. stinging, dryness. she sees a hole above her, but can’t focus on the colors. white on white on black on black. she moves. red. everything is red as her hands brush against her body. everything is red and she cannot think she cannot see she cannot feel she cannot hear. only pain. only red._

Valent hadn’t spoken since his outburst at the Chantry. Two days of silence had gone by. The soldiers present had long since given up on cautious glances and hands on their blade whenever Valent came along, like they had given up. 

In truth, they had given up. Hundreds had fled Haven, and the only thing left was to wander. With the area buried under snow, nobody could tell where they were anymore. The path that Chancellor Roderick put them on had never been fully explored. Some hoped for a village at the end, but most thought of death. A death buried in snow, forgotten by the rest of the world. Buried along with their Herald, who had fallen even after her bravery in battle.

Daera couldn’t think of Reilya like that. All they could remember was her small hands, curious eyes, and untamable red hair. Five year old Reilya, who had found the clan with her mother despite all odds. 

A sigh escaped their lips, and they wearily looked around at the rest who had gathered in that section of their temporary settlement. Valent sat in the snow, stone-faced. Some of the others had tried to talk to him – Varric, Cassandra, even Cullen – only to be met with untrusting eyes. Vivienne stood tall by a tent with some healers, looking regal in even her bloodied clothes. Daera often wondered how she could still look so noble in this situation. The de-facto leaders – Cullen, Leliana, Josephine, and Cassandra – sat wearily on some logs, silent after a long hour of quiet discussion. Daera knew that they felt as hopeless as the rest of the group. 

_breaths hurt, splitting across her body in spider webs. she forces herself to stand. she’s in the forest. the bad men made the world turn grey, but she had to stand. she was going to be taken away if the bad men caught her. but this pain is different, wrong. she can still feel the magic in her veins, electric sparking with the pulses on her hand. burning, like when she woke in the cell. burning. green. the flash blinds her vision, and she’s cold. demons crawl towards her. she lifts a hand. another rift. her hand is ripping apart. the rift reaches out like hands and begin to rip the demons apart bit by bit and she can see their insides and why is her hand and where did they go and what is happening to me creators i’m going to die_

_silence_

Daera spots a familiar face in the corner of their eye. Ever since their encounter with Envy, Daera had not gotten the opportunity to talk to Cole. He was always walking around, wandering towards Chancellor Roderick (who was on death’s door in a tent) or to different people in the large encampment. Whenever they tried to pinpoint where the strange boy was, he would be off somewhere else. It puzzled them.

Instead of vanishing, Cole stood in an empty spot. He paced around in a circle, furiously twiddling his fingers against his chest and muttering something under his breath. Daera watched, wondering just what was going on in his head.

_black to white to black to white to black to white to cold. the wind stings like the dull fire of the mark. there is only snow, in her eyes and on her body. how did she get here? where is everyone? the memory of a signal, fire jumping into the air. safety. but how safe? there are no footprints. it’s become warm, the numbness doesn’t bother her now._

Daera wanted to know what the matter was. As the minutes wore on, they began to see steady changes in Cole’s pacing. His frame shook with the quiet ramblings, and he looked desperately towards the advisors as if thinking about something. The same whisper under his breath came whenever he looked away: “Too far.” Daera felt their eyes grow wide as some spark lit up in their chest. 

_her foot catches. she looks down. the half-buried remnants of a campfire. long since cold. hope. someone was out here. she forces her feet up. left to right and right to left. the snow has passed her knees. it’s harder to keep her eyes open. one moment it’s black and the next she’s a few feet forward. her body doesn’t hurt anymore. she only feels tired. in the fringes of her mind, she can hear whispers. they want her body. the demons want to take over. she won’t let them, even if it means dying._

“She’s here…walking, numbness pulling at her fingertips and her eyelids. She cannot feel anymore. She’s going to die.”

Cole sped towards the advisors. Daera followed him with wide eyes, mouth open from the small piece they had heard. Valent looked up from his spot, watching as Cole began to speak to the advisors. An urging to search beyond the path between the two mountains, back where the ruins of Haven lay. He begins to spew out information in his strange way of speaking. Everything that he had been muttering for the previous hour.

Cullen is the first to move.

_red in the distance, fires of warmth. hundreds of lights on the horizon, like the burning buildings of haven. she thinks it’s a hallucination. but then voices break through the wind. people running up the hill. more mirages. her legs fail her. she can see the snow level with her eyes. her breathing begins to slow. is this what it’s like to die?_

“There she is!”

_a voice. the face of a nervous templar – no – a man that stands alone on the pier. she remembers the cold of the water as she tumbled down to the frozen lake. embarrassment. she was such a fool. he was never like the bad men._

“Thank the Maker!”

_through black she can feel herself being lifted. something warm wraps around her. arms are under her. warm. her eyes are shut. she can’t open them. is this real? she sinks down down down into the black. it’s so warm._

“Come on, Reilya. Fight…”

_words barely audible over the wind, whispered like the prayers the soldiers make before leaving haven. she’s drawn to them, drawn to her name spoken by his breath. she climbs up, keeping sleep at by for just a while longer._

“We’ve found the Herald!”

Everyone in Haven stops, staring as the Commander walks into camp. In his arms lay the Herald, lips blue and skin completely white. Though his fur cape was wrapped firmly around her thin frame, they could still see the shaky rise and fall of her stomach. 

Reilya was alive.

 

Daera straightened their clothes before looking down at Reilya, who was finally warm enough to be by herself. The moments after her miraculous return had been chaotic, with every healer and cleric in the Inquisition rushing to help their Herald. It took Cullen’s barked commands to keep the crowd at bay and allow for Vivienne, Solas, and Daera to provide the proper care. For hours, the three worked together in silence as they tried to keep Reilya awake during the process. She had seemed unaware the entire time, and the few times Daera saw her eyes open they were glazed over, unfocused.

It was a miracle that Reilya had even made it as close to the camp as she did. The entire left side of her rib cage had been filled with fractures, along with some small fractures on her left arm and collarbone. Her left wrist was covered in burns and cuts, which all had thankfully been healed albeit with some scars that couldn’t be fixed. The worst of all was her temperature, which was the main thing that they had to worry about. While Vivienne could warm the room by a few degrees, there was also a fear that Reilya would go into shock if it was a sudden change. Thus, that was where Daera came in. They had seen quite a bit of struggles in the cold whenever the clan became trapped in a snowstorm, so thankfully they knew that it held the least risk compared to using magic.

Now that she was at a reasonable temperature, Reilya slept wrapped in countless blankets and pelts. Everyone had practically thrown their blankets at the healers when they asked; they wanted to do all that they could to help the Herald. It was good that Reilya could rest through it all, after all of this. Solas had told them that he would watch Reilya from the Fade. At least that thought was comforting.

Daera walked towards the entrance to the sparse tent Reilya had been given, and they began to hear voices.

“Reilya can’t be seen right now. Walking through an avalanche of snow is kind of tiring. Pretty sure you’d understand,” Daera peaked through the tent to see Valent dutifully standing guard at the entrance to the tent. In front of him stood Cassandra, who looked worse for wear than before. They could see the other advisors standing irritably in the distance, hovering over a map spread out over some barrels.

“I just wanted to know her status. Is it too much to ask to see her for myself?”

“Cass, you are aware of survival techniques, right? What do you do when you’re freezing? This is more of a privacy issue than – ”

Cassandra’s eyes caught Daera’s, “Can you tell me how the Herald is doing? Evidentially it is a secret of whether she’s alright or not.”

“Excuse me for trying to maintain her privacy…” Valent whispered, a little more bite to his words than before. While their clansman had begun to talk once Reilya returned, he was much more angry and less careful with his words. It reminded Daera of when he arrived in the clan from the city. Untrusting, secretive, angry. Daera understood why. They had felt it too when they heard Cullen’s suggestion. But now was not the time for anger. Not when they didn’t know what was going to happen.

“She is okay…but she needs rest,” Daera spoke as they slipped out from the tent, “I’m sure we could send some…gentler people to look after her now.”

A weary sigh escaped Cassandra, “Very well.” She stormed back towards the advisors. Leliana began to speak first, and soon the four of them had escalated to a heated argument. Daera raised an eyebrow at the sight, not sure whether they should intervene or not. Was fighting wise in this sort of situation? They just needed to get to safety, not argue in the middle of the snow.

Valent snorted, “If they keep that up, Rei won’t get any sleep.” Daera turned their attention towards the blond elf, looking at his careful face as he kept his gaze locked at the bickering leaders.

“Are you alright?”

Valent paused, not turning his head, “Reilya’s alive. Guess that makes up for some _shems_ sending her to her death.”

“I know…but you saw what was out there. Who can blame them? Especially when it was Reilya that they were – ”

“Daera. I know you’re trying to understand. How about you understand that their only solution was to send her away? Did they even care?”

“What would your solution be, Valent?”

Their voices began to escalate like the arguments of the advisors.

“They could have taken her with us. Sent someone else to fire the damn trebuchet.”

“If she left, they would have followed. We would be dead!”

From the corner of their eye, Daera could see Mother Giselle look between the bickering parties from another tent.

“Then they could have kept her in the village nearest to the exit. That Soldier and the others made it out, and they were with Reilya most of the time!”

“I had to stay back…Corypheus trapped me…before I could follow.”

A hoarse voice, weak and quiet. The two elves stopped to look at Reilya, who had wrapped herself in a bear pelt and the cloak that Commander Cullen had left her. Dark circles underlined her eyes, and she looked at the advisors and back at Daera and Valent.

“ _Lethallan_! I am so sorry. Did we wake you? Please, you must rest,” Daera said, putting a hand on the red-head to guide her back into the tent.

Reilya shrugged off the hand and shook her head, “No…it was them. They’ve been at it for hours…I’ve just been tired enough to drift back to sleep until now. I…should speak with them.”

“No, child, you must rest,” Daera saw Mother Giselle approach, and Valent sighed as he walked away. Daera looked between the two, watching as Reilya looked to the Mother to find a response, and decided to follow her other clansman.

“Valent…”

“I know, Daera. I just…can’t help but be frustrated, okay?”

Valent sat down in the snow while Daera stood next to him, “I can understand. I felt angry when Reilya walked away…but it was more despair than anything. I couldn’t think of another option either.”

“I just thought that Reilya was just being used by the _shems_. She keeps good company…but when all that started going down…”

“I understand. It’s hard not to, in our way of life.”

Their conversation died down, and they watched what was going on around them. Reilya conversing with the Mother outside of her tent, Cole tending to Chancellor Roderick in another tent, the four advisors growing silent over another meaningless argument, and Solas wandering on the outskirts with his eye on the awakened Herald. Daera could see children shivering, soldiers eating microscopic rations, and some praying to the sky and hoping for a miracle.

“Some shit we’ve gotten into…” Valent whispered with an empty chuckle. 

Reilya stepped towards the center of the encampment, taking in everything. It was her first time completely lucid since she was found, so everything was new. Her eyes were dull, with some shock at every new sign of hopelessness. She pulled the pelt tighter around her, enveloping herself in it like it was a security blanket.

That was when Mother Giselle began to sing.

 

“Um…I have a question.”

“What is it?”

Reilya had fallen back from the front of the group to fall in step with the Commander. On her shoulders was still the fur cape – which Cullen had insisted on her keeping since they had no more coats to spare – and her coloration had grown much healthier since her journey through the snow. They had left for the location Solas had given them not long after she woke up, and thankfully Valent had been lucky enough to persuade her to ride a Bronto until she felt ready enough to walk. It had taken four failed attempts at persuading Daera she was well until she was allowed to get off the blasted thing. Now, she walked mostly at the head of the group with Solas guiding her in the right direction. Something that had become strangely natural to her.

“So…that song. What was it?”

Cullen looked over at her with a raised eyebrow, “You mean the ones the soldiers are singing? They’re simple – ”

“Ah…not those,” Reilya scratched the back of her head, “I mean that song that Mother Giselle sang back in the camp.”

It took Reilya a moment to realize that Cullen had stopped walking. She looked back to meet his wide eyes.

“That…was one of the chants. Do you mean that the entire time, you didn’t know what was going on?”

“Er…I didn’t want to interrupt. I-It was quite inspiring, though!”

“What did you think it was?” Cullen sighed and began walking again, with the elf meeting him in pace.

“I don’t know, I was kind of reminded me of Denerim before I joined the clan. So I thought it was just a human thing. Valent was saying that it was some sort of…h-human mating ritual?” Reilya flushed and fell back a few paces, “I-It’s not true, is it?”

“Maker…no. It’s nothing close to that,” Cullen scratched the back of his head, “Why would he even…? Did it look like that?”

“W-Well people were looking at me weird a-and they just stared the whole time. I didn’t think it was true b-but it kind of looked that way…” Reilya let out a breath she had been holding in, “At least I don’t have to reject all of those people…”

Cullen smirked and stifled a laugh, “You mean you would go to every single person in camp and reject them?”

“Well do you have a better plan, Commander?” Reilya snapped back as her face completely turned red, “I-It’s not like I know your _shemlen_ dating customs! What do you humans do?” She lifted up the fur to cover up her face.

“I…uh…guess it would just be rejecting in person. N-Not that I have expertise in that field. I assume it’s the same for the Dalish.”

“Not quite…” Reilya emerged from the fur and looked to the trees to their right, “I didn’t see much courting…but a rejection was when someone doesn’t accept the offering. And there was no offering….a-and if it was the song then I-I wouldn’ t want to reject it. It…was a nice thing to wake up to.”

Cullen fell silent, and Reilya looked up at him quizzically. His features had hardened, gazing out into the snow-covered terrain. She looked around at the countless people that followed them on the journey, and suddenly her eyes fell towards a scar that peaked out from under her sleeve. It was the place where Corypheus had grabbed her in the moment she thought she was going to die. While the healers had done the best they could, the burns and scratches had remained like it had been branded onto her very being. She could still remember it all, up to when she fell down in the hole. Then it was flashes of cold and the fear that everyone had been hunted by him nonetheless. 

“Well…maybe that isn’t true…” Reilya continued as she kept her eyes to the scar, “Just seeing everyone was all I could have wanted. The entire time I was walking…I thought that everyone was dead. And I’m glad that you…a-and everyone else survived. I’m glad that it all meant something…staying behind, that is.”

Cullen was silent for a time before he drew a breath, “I…would like to apologize.”

“Hm?”

“For sending you out. You could have - …We thought you dead.”

“It was the only way, Cullen.”

Her words were harder as she stopped walking, eyes fixed on the Commander with hesitant certainty. Cullen stopped and turned towards her. They stood still for a while, the other soldiers passing by to take Solas’ leadership in guidance. 

Cullen took a few steps forward, looking down at the scars on her left wrist, “It didn’t have to be. I promise you that the events of Haven will not happen again. I will not allow it. You have my word.”

Reilya looked up at him, cheeks heating at the quiet words. He was completely serious, looking at her with complete and utter loyalty. It was then that Reilya realized that they were rather close together, only a few steps away from touching. She felt herself begin to fluster, some sort of fuzz creeping up from her stomach and into her brain.

“T-Thank you…” Reilya managed to mutter out before burying her face into the fur again and rushing to meet Solas at the front of the group. She didn’t know what had happened, only that for some reason those words, that serious attitude, and that face had stirred something in her. 

Reilya tried to let the cold air calm her down.

When she realized that she was still wearing his fur, the same fuzz came straight back to her.

 

Valent eyed the exchange from the back of the group, and an eyebrow rose at the way Reilya fled to the front of the group. He wondered briefly at what kind of talk the two had been having. He also wondered just why the Templar had been so willing to part with his fur when she was no longer standing on death’s door. He wondered a lot of things, and it was just something he’d have to ask about later.

“So Charming, seems like you’ve cheered up a bit.”

Valent smirked as the dwarf fell into step with him, “I’ve always been cheery, Varric.”

“If your idea of cheery is strangling Curly, then I don’t want to see what angry looks like,” Varric said with a light chuckle, “Don’t really blame you for that, though. I’m glad to see Gingerbread alive.”

“Yea. It’s almost hard to believe.”

“I just know that weird stuff happens when she’s around. Shit that wouldn’t even make sense in a story. That singing was the least of what I can’t work with.”

“Now that was something. I’d heard something similar before, but Daera and Reilya looked so startled I had to keep myself from laughing.”

“I’m surprised a Dalish knew about Chantry business.”

“A bunch of Chantry sisters always went into the Alienage. Kind of hard to forget a bunch of wrinkled women preaching by the giant tree.”

“Isn’t Gingerbread also from the Alienage? I remember her mentioning it. Though she mumbles so maybe I misheard.”

“Not the same Alienage. Plus, she was younger when she left. She had no clue about the singing.”

“Did you tell her?”

“I told her that she had impressed everyone in the Inquisition and they want to court her,” Valent admitted casually, a mischievous smirk on his lips.

Varric laughed, “That’s priceless. I’m surprised Gingerbread hasn’t fled to the hills yet.”

“I was going to tell her just in case. Thankfully I didn’t have to do that. Kind of strange.”

“Everything’s strange right now,” Varric sighed and looked down to his feet, “I am glad she’s alright, though. You may not have known this, but…she saved our lives. Right before we could fire the trebuchet, that dragon…archdemon… _whatever_ that thing was, it flew right towards us. She told us to just make a break for it. When we finally got to the Chantry, we realized she had stayed behind to keep that thing from following us. Honestly? Gingerbread has something, Charming. I’m just hoping that this doesn’t end badly.”

Valent fell silent for a moment, trying to imagine what had gone through Reilya’s head before she faced off a dragon by herself. He was only just beginning to admit that what she had done saved them all, but it hardly swayed him from thinking it was right. Still, he tried to swallow his doubt to keep it from showing. He knew that she and Daera would be troubled if he went off the deep end again…especially when it seemed that she and the Templar were acting so close. Creators…that would be awkward she learned of a certain encounter he had with the Templar.

“What do you mean, badly?” Valent finally asked, turning his head towards the dwarf.

“I’ve seen a lot of things, Charming. Bunch of shit you wouldn’t believe, either. This shit just doesn’t scream good news to me. Let’s just hope that Gingerbread doesn’t try and pull that stunt again,” Varric let out a breath and tried to grin, “But anyway…let’s try to think positive. Maybe if Chuckles is onto something, let’s hope we’ll be somewhere in a day. I’m getting tired of snow.”

Valent felt a weary smile spread on his face, “You mean there wasn’t enough snow in Haven?”

“Haven was different. All the buildings and a firepit made me believe I wasn’t in the middle of nowhere. Out here, there’s only snow and a bunch of people walking towards something an elf thought of.”

“Really? I didn’t think of this.”

“I know that, Charming. Chuckles just wins the contest for most elf next to Sunflower.”

“Can’t argue there.”

Valent’s smile faltered when he saw a figure walking towards the two of them. It was the Soldier, who was walking right in their direction. He wondered just what she could want, though his smile remained when she fell into step next to the two.

“Well, Seeker, what a surprise,” Varric greeted, “I thought you’d be busy following the elves in the snow.”

“Leliana wanted me to tell you that a message has arrived for you, Varric,” Cassandra said, “Apparently it is… _important_.” The Seeker practically spat the word out as she looked at him with suspicion. 

Varric put on a knowing grin, though visibly flinched away from the irritable woman, “I never took you for a messenger, Seeker.”

“I _also_ need to speak with Valent.”

“You need to speak with me? I’m flattered,” Valent chimed in with a smirk. Cassandra grunted and rolled her eyes.

“Well, I’ll see you later, Charming. Hopefully in some warm castle somewhere,” Varric spoke with a wave before walking in the direction of the spymaster. 

Valent looked up at Cassandra as the two followed along with the sizable crowd, “So…what is it, Cassandra? You’re not really my type…”

“That’s not it,” Cassandra sighed and ran a hand through her hair, “I recently discovered of your…altercation with the Commander after we left with the Herald.”

“ _Reilya_. And was I not supposed to get angry when my clansman is sent to her death? Sorry, I’ll keep that in mind next time,” said Valent.

“I am not trying to accuse you or arrest you. I do understand. I just want to let you know that there is no consequence for this at the moment. It was a very chaotic moment.”

“I think I got that when I wasn’t arrested the second we were in safety, Cassandra.”

“I know. Making this official would be better, however. Cullen has already told the troops that were present of this. Hopefully they will understand. I think most of us agree that sending the Herald away was not the best idea we could have come up with.”

“Glad you guys realize this now, at least,” Valent muttered, his eyes lowered towards the snow. How long had they been walking towards nowhere?

She sighed, “You must realize that we did not have the time to find another choice.”

“I do now,” Valent stared off into the distant, where some of the soldiers were stirring and Reilya was running towards the top of the hill, “But if the same thing happened to you, wouldn’t you try and knock over the Commander as well?”

“Perhaps…though it depends.”

“So it would depend on the situation on whether you’d fight for someone to stay alive? That’s concerning,” Valent took in a deep breath, “I’d fight for it. If this happens again, you better believe that I’d do it again.”

“I cannot say that I am surprised.”

“What? You…wait, what’s going on?”

The two realized what was going on in front of them. Reilya and Solas were perched at the top of a rock, looking out towards something on the horizon. Soldiers muttered in excitement, people were rushing uphill to get a glimpse of what was out there, and they could see others begin to stand and look out with wonder in their eyes. They exchanged glances and rushed up to the top of the hill.

When the horizon slowly came into view, Valent realized just what everyone was so excited for. A stone castle standing tall within the mountains, the sun shining upon it as if chosen by the Creators. It laid empty, dormant from any other soul in Thedas and ripe for the taking. A single pathway led up towards the gates, and the rest of the castle was impenetrable from the angle of the mountain. A natural fortress, completely defensible from all directions but above.

“Dang…” Valent whispered under his breath as he looked over towards Cassandra, “Looks like Baldy had a good idea after all.”

 

It took a few days for the group to settle into the castle. At first, Reilya had thought that they wouldn’t be able to even get into the castle. The front gates had been tightly shut and Cullen did not want to use force for once, stating that he did not want to damage the stone. By some miracle, Valent and Sera had snuck in from the sides to unlock the two gates from the inside. After that, it was just a matter of directing people inside and keeping the peace until the place could be fully explored. Unfortunately, though very sturdy and safe, the entire castle of Skyhold was a complete mess that could only be used as shelter from the elements in its current state.

Reilya sat down in the courtyard, looking over at a tree that wasn’t supposed to be there. The entire mountain region had been devoid of all plant life and heat, yet Skyhold felt warmer within the walls and plants grew plentifully inside. It was a strange thing that she wondered about when she wasn’t assisting others with setting up tents and pushing debris out from the inside. She knew that Daera was probably hammering Solas with questions about it. She herself tried to get some information from him, but most of her questions had been deflected easily. Hopefully Daera would have better luck.

Though, Reilya hoped that there would be more luck for the Inquisition. While they had found Skyhold, they had all been practically stuck in a decrepit building. She had the opportunity to talk with some, namely Cullen about the status when she gave his coat back and to Sera when Reilya found her madly pacing around a tent, but it just seemed like everyone was just waiting. For what, she had no idea. Still, things seemed to be stagnating. Would they just take Skyhold as shelter and not do anything else? That thought bothered her for some reason. She felt that she could do more.

The Elder One, her mark, an archdemon, and a village buried beneath snow. They couldn’t just sit around with what had happened. There was no way that she could return to the clan even with the Breach sealed. 

Waving caught her eye, and she spotted Cassandra waving her over to the group of advisers. Reilya tilted her head, wondering just what they were discussing. She slowly stood and made her way across the courtyard.

 

“Please, be still,” Daera whispered to the patient with a hand carefully over the man’s frostbitten hand. He was only one of the many that sat in the entrance to Skyhold. Daera had been doing their best to assist the healers now that the Inquisition was settled down, but they were finding that they couldn’t help just anyone.

The glow of their magic flickered, and Daera strained themself to keep pouring their mana into the hand.

They jumped when they felt a hand on their shoulder.

“There is nothing more to do. He can’t feel it anymore,” Cole kneeled down next to Daera, eyes hidden by his hat. 

Daera was silent for a moment, “I…see.” They removed their hand and turned to look at the strange boy. They still knew nothing of his origins, and all they knew was that he saved them from Envy’s grip and told the Inquisition that Reilya was alive. That was enough to convince Daera that he was someone that could be trusted. Hopefully, others would feel the same. The rest had not experienced Envy before…so she feared that they would not truly believe in him.

“They’re starting.”

“Huh?” Daera whipped around as Cole got up and walked away. Unbeknownst to them in their concentration, a crowd had gathered at the center of the courtyard. Countless soldiers, civilians, and merchants grouped together with their heads turned towards the staircase. They could see Cullen and Josephine fronting the group, looking towards the same person standing on the staircase.

The red-head looked up to that very spot to see Reilya hesitantly standing before Cassandra and Leliana, her arms crossed and her face red. Daera stood as her clansman took a sword from Leliana’s arms. It was over half her size, and Reilya looked small compared to the ornamental hunk of metal. Reilya took in a deep breath, lowering her other arm to rest at her side and she said something that was lost on Daera’s ears. It was a declaration, and it was something that the crowd understood the second they saw her lips move. Muttering erupted throughout the crowd, and Daera struggled to hear just what the words meant.

“There you are!” 

Valent squeezed through the crowd and walked up towards Daera, “Did you hear what they’re doing?”

“No…what’s going on?”

A hesitant look appeared on his face, “They’re making her the leader.”

“The leader of the Inquisition?”

Valent nodded and looked up where Reilya stood, struggling to hold the sword with one hand. Cassandra walked to her side and looked out at the crowd.

“Have our people been told?”

“They have! And soon the world,” Josephine called out from the crowd. Valent gave Daera a knowing look, half proud and half hesitant.

“Commander! Will they follow?”

“Inquisition! Will you follow? Will you fight? Will we triumph?” Cullen yelled towards the crowd, whose voices grew in a crescendo with every second. Excitement began to pulse through the air, and Daera couldn’t help but be caught up in it.

“Your leader! Your Herald! Your Inquisitor!”

The cheering erupted in the courtyard, bouncing around the castle walls to even further the cries of thousands. Daera felt themself begin to cheer along with Valent.

Above them, Reilya thrust up the sword and nearly lost balance from the weight. Valent snorted when their newly appointed leader began to tip sideways after holding it up and had to use her other hand to prop up the weapon. Daera felt herself chuckle at the sight, but it appeared that the rest of the courtyard had not noticed her little stumble.

This would certainly be an adventure. They wouldn’t be able to go home for a while.


End file.
